Biology of the Human Uterus in Pregnancy and Disease Tissue Bank

• Research type

  Research Tissue Bank

• IRAS ID

  225205

• Research summary

  Biology of the Human Uterus in Pregnancy and Disease Tissue Bank

• REC name

  East of England - Cambridge Central Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  17/EE/0151

• Date of REC Opinion

  7 Jul 2017

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion

• Data collection arrangements

  This Tissue Bank will be focussed on samples relating to healthy and abnormal pregnancies. We are interested in how the lining of the womb, the endometrium prepares for a pregnancy, and how the baby’s placenta attaches to it, and gains nutrient support from he womb. Ultimately, our aim is to understand how things go wrong in complications of pregnancy, and how these might be corrected. Hence, samples of endometrium will be collected from women being investigated for infertility problems or miscarriage, and from early and late pregnancy. We will also collect samples of placentas from normal and abnormal pregnancies. In addition, we are interested in how common gynaecological problems relating to the endometrium, such as endometriosis and endometrial cancer, arise, and will collect samples from these conditions.

  All donors will be approached by trained members of the clinical team managing their treatment. Samples will be taken on an anonymised basis from surplus tissue removed at the time of their treatment, and that otherwise would be disposed of. Potential donors will be provided with a Patient Information Sheet, and once they have had a chance to read and understand the information will be invited to give written consent.

• Research programme

  The tissues collected will support the research of members of the Centre for Trophoblast Research at the University of Cambridge. The Centre draws together members of the University and allied institutes from a variety of different disciplines to take an integrated approach to understanding the biological interactions between a mother and her baby during normal pregnancy, and how common complications, such as infertility, miscarriage, growth restriction and pre-eclampsia occur. Ultimately, the hope is to provide insights into new avenues for prevention or treatment of these distressing conditions. Samples may be shared with external collaborators when they have specialist expertise not available in Cambridge. The anonymised tissue samples and associated clinical data will be stored in secure laboratories at: Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EG Department of Pathology, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QP

• Storage license

  12196

• RTBTitle

  Biology of the Human Uterus in Pregnancy and Disease Tissue Bank

• Establishment organisation

  University of Cambridge

• Establishment organisation address

  The Old Schools

  Trinity Lane

  Cambridge

  CB2 1TN