Grampian Biorepository

• Research type

  Research Tissue Bank

• IRAS ID

  367511

• Research summary

  Grampian Biorepository

• REC name

  North of Scotland Research Ethics Committee 2

• REC reference

  26/NS/0015

• Date of REC Opinion

  18 Mar 2026

• REC opinion

  Favourable Opinion

• Data collection arrangements

  The Grampian Biorepository is a generic research tissue biobank and so a variety of sample types are collected in response to specific requests which are approved through the online portal at https://nrsbiorepository.hicservices.dundee.ac.uk/.
  Samples may be snap frozen and stored until required by the researcher, or placed into transport medium and released fresh to approved tissue requests. Some samples may be placed into 10% neutral buffered formalin and processed to wax blocks.
  Pathology archive material may be brought under the governance of the Biorepository for research purposes.
  Tissue from individual blocks may be placed into tissue microarrays for ease of use. Tissue used like this will come from the unconsented pathology archive.
  Consent has been obtained for all fresh tissue samples since September 2011 when the first Biorepository ethics application was approved. Tissue is used in a wide range of research. CHI number and gender from consented participants is stored. Samples can be linked to clinical data from the patient record that are relevant to the disease process. Paper records are stored within lockable cabinets and electronic information is stored in secure NHS Grampian servers to which only Biorepository staff have access.
  

• Research programme

  A wide range of current molecular and cellular biological investigative techniques will be performed including, but not limited to, gene sequencing, gene expression studies, proteomics, immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridisation, functional assays, physiological studies, pharmacological studies and imaging studies including fast field magnetic resonance imaging. These projects may be submitted by local academic research groups or commercial companies, as well as further afield in Scotland, the rest of the UK or be sent abroad. These projects may source their tissue from the Grampian Biorepository alone, or may approach the whole Scottish Biorepository network for a national approach. Currently a report on Biorepositoy activity is sent to the REC and to the CSO on an annual basis.

• RTBTitle

  Grampian Biorepository

• Establishment organisation

  NHS Grampian

• Establishment organisation address

  Room 427, Department of Pathology

  Aberdeen Royal Infirmary

  Aberdeen

  AB25 2ZN