SYNDMB 2025 renewal
Research type
Research Tissue Bank
IRAS ID
356252
Research summary
South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire Musculoskeletal Biobank (SYNDMB)
REC name
South Central - Oxford C Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/SC/0102
Date of REC Opinion
9 May 2025
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion
Data collection arrangements
Samples of serum, plasma, blood, urine, saliva and tissue fluids (eg synovial fluid) will comprise the majority of samples held in the tissue bank. Samples of disorders of bone (both neo-plastic and non-neoplastic), joint, intervertebral disc, and soft tissues will also be held in the tissue bank. Blood, urine and saliva samples will be collected. Other samples will be either surplus to diagnostic requirements or would otherwise be discarded at the time of surgery.
Most stored tissue samples will be frozen and stored in -80 degree freezer units or liquid nitrogen vessels. Some samples will be subsequently processed and embedded in wax blocks. Some samples are processed for immediate cell or tissue culture and either used directly in experiments or expanded in culture and cryogenically stored for later re-culture. All of these samples can be kept indefinitely if storage protocols are adhered to and optimum storage conditions maintained.
All data will be stored on a dedicated inventory database. Data will be obtained from the patients medical record but will be made anonymous by the database manager. The data will include gender, date of birth, details of operation (if applicable) and diagnosis. The clinical database may be updated periodically by reference to subject's current medical records.
Research programme
Musculoskeletal research within the DCM is focussed on improving our understanding of the causes of musculoskeletal and related conditions, including arthritis, intervertebral disc degeneratrion, and benign and neoplastic bone disorders. Theultimate aims of our studies are to identify new potential therapeutic targets and to develop and test new treatments. To facilitate these aims, we propose to continue our established research tissue bank of relevant samples that allow us to investigate, for example, novel marker of disease and response to scientific treatments. The present application for ethical approval of our tissue bank is to cover studies in these broad areas. In order to study disease processes, human tissue is required and through close collaboration with the collection sites. All samples obtained will be tissues that are either normally disposed of at the time of surgery (cartilage, bone, intervertebral disc, synovium, synovial fluid, bone marrow and tendon) or are surplus to diagnostic requirements (tumour samples and normal tissue samples. In both cases the patients care remains the same and their diagnosis is in no way compromised. The tissue bank will also be used to store samples from individual ended projects and thus are required to be stored in a licensed tissue bank. The tissue bank has a process for adopting such collections and ensuring that all relevant documentation is collected at the point of adoption. Samples are primarily used by researchers within the DCM upon application, however there are opportunities for collaborations with other institutions. Samples are only released to other institutions for research that has undergone independent scientific review. This may include genetic testing and is not restricted to musculoskeletal research. Any unused samples would be returned to the tissue bank or destroyed. All data arising from the analysis of the samples would be stored on the central database.
Storage license
12182
RTBTitle
South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire Musculoskeletal Biobank (SYNDMB)
Establishment organisation
University of Sheffield
Establishment organisation address
New Spring House
Sheffield
S10 2GW