Newcastle Hospitals Biobank has strengthened and expanded its services to give access to a wider range of both tissue and liquid samples.
The newly named biobank collects, stores and provides clinical samples to support a range of projects across the globe aimed at advancing the diagnosis and treatment of conditions, and improving people’s health.
In the last year it has recruited around 700 patients to donate samples and released over 1000 samples, supporting 40 research projects with the NHS, academics and industry.
The biobank has been providing solid tissue for research – which would largely be discarded as surplus for diagnostic need – since 2015.
This year the team led by Dr Donna Nile, senior scientist and biobank manager, has expanded the biobanking services to give access to a wider range of both tissue and liquid sample types. This includes multiple types across infectious disease, autoimmune disorders, serology (blood), and multiple oncology specimens.
The team is also strengthening how they collect samples prospectively for clients with closer working with hospital teams and departments to provide the worldwide service.
Dr Nile said: “New discoveries, innovations and diagnostic tests are essential to ensuring doctors and nurses have the most optimal tools to quickly detect disease, and to help shape the most effective personalised and targeted treatment for patients.
“We believe the expansion of the biobank’s activity will allow us to support a wider range of projects for our partners to advance the diagnosis and treatment of illness, enabling better patient outcomes.”
