Establishing cell cultures from paediatric cancers
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Establishing primary cultures and cell lines from paediatric cancers
IRAS ID
154668
Contact name
John Anderson
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
UCL Institute of Child Health
Duration of Study in the UK
5 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
This study will use samples already collected from cancer patients at Great Ormond Street Hospital whose families have given consent for use of the child's tissue in research through two previously approved tissue banks - the CCLG Tissue Bank and the GOSH 'Biomarkers in childhood cancer' tissue bank. Both of these tissue banks cover the use of tissue collected in future local, REC-approved studies without the need for further consent. This application seeks approval for use of the tissue in this way.
Cancer is the cause of almost one fifth of all deaths in children aged 14 or under in the UK. Although research has resulted in improved survival rates for all childhood cancers in recent decades, continued research into new and improved diagnostic techniques and treatments is still desperately needed. Such research always involves experiments using laboratory models of disease and cells obtained from patients suffering from the particular disease in question are one of these models.
We would like to isolate cells from surplus tumour material and blood and bone marrow samples. We would aim to culture and grow these cells and carry out tests to characterise the cells. We would subsequently freeze the cells and store them so that they can be used in future studies. No further REC approval would be sought for use of these cells in future studies as they would no longer class as 'relevant material' for the purposes of the Human Tissue Act and also any cell lines or data provided to researchers would be given in an anonymised form.The ability to set up and store primary cultures using these excess tissue samples would provide an invaluable resource for researchers at Great Ormond Street Hospital and the UCL Institute of Child Health who are investigating the biology of cancer and potential treatment modalities.
REC name
West Midlands - Black Country Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/WM/1253
Date of REC Opinion
3 Dec 2014
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion