BIOBANK - BBIRE
Head: Gennaro Ciliberto
- Giovanni Cigliana - Clinical Pathology Unit and Cancer Biobank IFO - Department of Research, Advanced Diagnostics and Technologies
- Edoardo Pescarmona - MD, Head of Pathology Unit
- MariaGrazia Diodoro - Quality Assurance
- Simona di Martino - PhD Biologist, Responsible for biological samples management of tissue biobank(RCB)
- Valentina Laquintana - Biologist
- Ana Maria Arteni Brindusa - Technician
- Iole Cordone - MD, Head of Clinical Pathology Unit and Cancer Biobank
- Giovanni Cigliana - Quality Assurance
- Chiara Mandoj - Biologist, Responsible for biological samples management of body fluids biobank(RCB)
- Mustapha Haoui - Technician
- Tommaso Mancuso - Technician
Biobanking is actually recognized as a basic enabling tool for cancer research, with the future of molecular and traslational research relying heavily on the availability of high quality biospecimens linked to data on actual clinical outcames. There are several benefits to having a consolidated approach to biobanking, including increased awareness of specimen availability, increased access for researchers from larger pools of samples, increased quality and consistency of samples from standardized collection procedures, and efficiencies. In 2014 the tumor Biobank of Regina Elena National Cancer Institute (BBIRE), was established as a joint initiative between the Clinical Pathology and Pathology Unit with the financial support of the Scientific Directorate. The main function of the biobank is to collect tissue (T) and body fluids (LB) samples in accordance with standardized criteria (SOPs) and cryoconserve them in order to provide biological material for approved cancer research projects.
BBIRE is involved in a growing number of Institution projects (53 projects), and as a member of the European research network of Biobanks and Biomolecular Resources (BBMRI-ERIC) participates with European groups (EORTC - European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer) to large-scale multicentre projects. Also, BBIRE is involved in the ACC network and the primary objective of the Pathology and Biobanking Working Group is represented by the organization of a shared preanalytical workflow to obtain uniform quality of the biological samples, mainly tissue sample. Since the beginning of the Pandemic, BBIRE has been involved in several studies concerning approaches and metrics to evaluate the impact and improve the results of patients with frailty in the COVID-19 era, the biomaterials collected for these studies consist of: gold and nasopharyngeal swabs for the analysis of the mutational profile; serum, plasma, whole blood and PBMC collected at different times .
Samples Available at BBIRE
BBIRE currently stores more than 151617samples of biological fluids (whole blood, serum, plasma, PBMC) from more than 7077 patients and more than 25391 tumor tissue samples (Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE), Snap Frozen, Optimal Cutting Temperature (OCT) and Fresh Tissue (236 cases for Organoids) from more than 2120 patients. The Biobank enlists about 400 cases per year.
Quality Control
BBIRE is accredited by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). All procedures follow ISO 9001:2015 and CEN/TS quality standards. The biobank has 12 temperature monitoring with a centralized alarm system. The biobank maintains sample quality by using 2D-barcode labeling, semi-automated cryostorage and FFPE sample handling systems. A Scientific and Ethical Advisory Board regularly reviews BBIRE systems and processes to ensure ethical compliance and quality assurance.
Researcher criteria and how to Access Samples
BBIRE function as a research partner not a sample provider. They share samples with external partners through research cooperation agreements. Applications to collaborate must be approved by both an Ethics Committee and a Streering Committee. BBIRE prefers to keep all samples within their facilities, and perform all necessary testing of quality controls at the our laboratories.