The Northern Ireland Biobank (NIB)

• Research type

  Research Tissue Bank

• IRAS ID

  197105

• Research summary

  Northern Ireland Biobank (NIB)

• REC name

  HSC REC A

• REC reference

  16/NI/0030

• Date of REC Opinion

  25 Feb 2016

• REC opinion

  Favourable Opinion

• Data collection arrangements

  The Northern Ireland Biobank (NIB) has established a collection of ‘solid’ tumours. Tissue samples of tumour and patient-matched, premalignant and potentially malignant lesions, histologically normal control tissues (non-tumour from same patient) are acquired within the tissue pathology laboratories of the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust (BHSCT) at both The Royal Victoria Hospital and the Belfast City Hospital sites. Matching blood samples and, when appropriate, urine, saliva and other bodily fluid samples such as ascites and pleural fluids are collected. Pseudo-anonymised samples are batched and relocated at regular intervals, following standard operating procedures and HTA codes of practice, to a secure designated area within Queen’s University buildings, currently the Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology at the Belfast City Hospital/Medical Biology Centre Campus.
  NIB has also formalised the collection of haematological (‘liquid’) malignancies for research to collect samples of tissues and blood from individuals with premalignant or potentially malignant conditions. NIB can also facilitate the collection of non-cancerous tissues for specific funded projects which will advance biomedical research within Northern Ireland.

  All patients are appropriately consented for the collection of their tissue samples which are surplus to clinical need. NIB has ethics approval to also cover the use of the NHS archived tissues for appropriate ‘yet to be defined’ research studies. This request was made in accordance with the position statement issued in July 2009 by HTA.
  

• Research programme

  NIB provides an ethical and governance framework for collection and access to tissue samples across a range of cancer types and underpins a wide range of academic and industrial research programmes locally and nationally. NIB has been instrumental in improving the quality and impact of research generated within the NI cancer research community. The general shift of focus from “basic” research to “translational” research within NI and drive to develop new approaches to stratified/personalised medicine demands access to high quality tissue samples. The infrastructure created by the NIB provides managed access to quality assured biosamples linked with reliable clinical and pathological data to facilitate novel biomarker discovery and validation programmes for the benefit of patients. The types of research will include morphological studies, immunohistochemical analysis and molecular analysis of nucleic acids; there will be no release of tissues or bloods to groups undertaking studies of a sensitive nature such as cellular or therapeutic cloning, use of stem cells, reproductive research or genetic germline analyses. The infrastructure created by NIB ensures the wider scientific community has easier managed access to quality assured biosamples linked with reliable clinical and pathological data to facilitate novel biomarker discovery and validation programmes for the benefit of future patients.

• Storage license

  12044

• RTBTitle

  Northern Ireland Biobank (NIB)

• Establishment organisation

  Queen's University Belfast

• Establishment organisation address

  University Road

  Belfast

  Northern Ireland

  BT7 1NN