The Surrey INHANCER Biobank

• Research type

  Research Tissue Bank

• IRAS ID

  361066

• Research summary

  The Surrey INHANCER Biobank - Innovation in Head & Neck Cancer Research

• REC name

  London - Bromley Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  25/LO/0686

• Date of REC Opinion

  28 Oct 2025

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion

• Data collection arrangements

  The Surrey INHANCER Biobank will collect matched tumour and adjacent normal epithelial tissue from patients diagnosed with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma undergoing primary tumour resection at the Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust. Eligibility will be determined by the treating clinician. Participants will be approached during routine clinical appointments, with informed consent obtained in line with ICH GCP guidelines.
  At surgery, tumour and matched normal tissue will be collected within the surgical field. Samples will be processed into FFPE blocks for histopathology and stored in a secure HTA-licensed facility at the University of Surrey (Licence no. 12365, 37PGM02), or preserved in RNAlater for extraction of RNA/DNA for molecular analyses.
  Each sample will be assigned a unique study ID at collection, with no personal identifiers stored alongside the biobank records. Linked anonymised clinical data—including demographics, pathology, and treatment details—will be entered into REDCap, a GDPR-compliant secure database hosted by the University of Surrey.
  Samples will be accessible to ethically approved research projects aligned with the biobank’s aims, under a Material Transfer Agreement. This resource will enable translational studies to improve understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of HNSCC.
  

• Research programme

  The Surrey INHANCER Biobank will support translational research into head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), with a particular focus on HPV-negative disease, which currently has poorer survival outcomes and fewer targeted treatment options compared to HPV-positive subtypes. By providing matched tumour and adjacent normal tissue, alongside linked anonymised clinical data, the biobank will enable high-quality studies into the molecular, cellular, and microenvironmental factors driving tumour initiation, progression, treatment resistance, and recurrence. The biobank will be an open resource for the research community, supporting collaborations between the University of Surrey, Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust, and external academic, NHS, and industry partners. All requests for access will be reviewed by the biobank’s governance committee to ensure alignment with the biobank’s aims and adherence to ethical and regulatory standards. Research enabled by the biobank may include biomarker discovery, drug target validation, genomic and transcriptomic profiling, and immune microenvironment analysis, ultimately informing personalised treatment strategies. By fostering collaboration and data sharing, the resource will strengthen Surrey’s research capacity in oncology and contribute to national and international efforts to improve prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment outcomes for patients with HNSCC.

• Storage license

  12365

• RTBTitle

  The Surrey INHANCER Biobank - Innovation in Head & Neck Cancer Research