Biospecimens

NSW Regional Biospecimen and Research Services is home to several biobanked collections and can also facilitate prospective collections for specific projects.

Hunter Cancer Biobank Mark Hughes Foundation BiobankThird Party Collections

Hunter Cancer Biobank

The HCB currently holds over 20,000 tissue specimens from more than 15,000 patients. The HCB is certified by the NSW Government Statewide Biobank and operates to national and international standards, ensuring that all tissue specimens are validated against original pathological diagnoses to confirm accuracy and assure quality.

All tissue validation for formalin fixed tissues is performed by HCBu2019s own in-house anatomical pathologist.

Stored as formalin-fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissues, or as blood derivatives (Plasma, PBMC, Buffy Coat) our samples are primarily collected from private and public patients receiving care across the Hunter region.

Mark Hughes Foundation Biobank

Due to the unwavering support of the Mark Hughes Foundation and an inspiring community of patients and carers we have established the MHF brain bank, a world class resource available to all researchers nationally and internationally. The MHF brain bank incorporates the first Australian post-mortem brain donation program specifically designed for brain cancer samples, collected through rapid autopsy within 4 hours of death.

An initiative of the 2018 Virtuous Circle 2019 research program, the bank is working to collect biological samples that represent the full spectrum of temporal heterogeneity in brain cancer 2013 capturing the changes that occur in tumours over time and in response to treatment.

These samples include:

  • Diagnostic biopsies stored as formalin fixed tissues
  • Recurrent biopsies collected during debulking surgeries or following suspected recurrence stored as formalin fixed tissues
  • Sequential blood collections from key treatment intervals

Post-mortem tissues stored as both fresh frozen samples and formalin fixed samples.

Third Party Collections

Our services currently houses >30 clinical trial, population and cohort studies from national and international research programs that remain under the governance of these organizations. These include government, industry and NGO collections - many of which can be freely accessed for use in approved protocols. For more information about a specific request, please contact us directly to discuss.

How to Apply

Step 1: Submit an Enquiry

Please prepare an information brief about your project to assist us in assessing your requirements. This should include:

  • What types on samples and how many
  • What linked clinical data you require
  • Any other details relevant to your project

Email this to HCRA-Biobank@newcastle.edu.au

We will review the enquiry and establish a dialogue with the researchers involved. Providing complete and accurate information will ensure that we can identify the correct resources to support your project.

Step 3: Make a Formal Application

Once we have confirmed that resources are available to support your project you must lodge a formal application using the application form.

The application data required includes a project title, lead investigators, other investigators, a project description (including a lay summary) and questions about ethics and safety.

Once the application form has been completed it should be emailed to HCRA-biobank@newcastle.edu.au

Once received the application form will be reviewed by members of the management committee for scientific merit. Ensuring samples are used appropriately for research enables us to operate to national and international standards for biobanking.

Step 3: Delivery of Samples

Once your project has been approved we will then commence work preparing samples. We will notify you when works are completed and organise distribution.

Specimen validation data and linked clinical data will be provided to you electronically.