Abstract: A method for isolating biomolecules from a fixed biological specimen embedded in paraffin, comprises the steps of bringing the specimen into contact a) with a solvent non-miscible with water and dissolving the paraffin in this solvent such as to form a liquid organic phase, and b) with an aqueous solution of at least one lysis substance and/or with water and at least one lysis substance such as to form an aqueous phase; isolation of the biomolecules from the aqueous phase. The invention further relates to a corresponding kit as well as to the use of such a kit for isolating biomolecules.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for isolating RNA from a whole blood sample, comprising the steps bringing the sample into contact with an aqueous lysis solution containing at least one lysis substance in a concentration of 1.5 mol/1 to 7 mol/1 and at least one detergent, simultaneously or subsequently adding a proteinase, in particular proteinase K, then incubating the solution for at least partial enzymatic digestion and lysis of the sample so that a lysate is obtained, and isolating the RNA from the lysate.

Abstract: A method for isolating biomolecules from a fixed biological specimen embedded in paraffin, comprises the steps of bringing the specimen into contact a) with a solvent non-miscible with water and dissolving the paraffin in this solvent such as to form a liquid organic phase, and b) with an aqueous solution of at least one lysis substance and/or with water and at least one lysis substance such as to form an aqueous phase; isolation of the biomolecules from the aqueous phase. The invention further relates to a corresponding kit as well as to the use of such a kit for isolating biomolecules.