TY - JOUR
T1 - Moving with the Times
T2 - The Health Science Alliance (HSA) Biobank, Pathway to Sustainability
AU - Quinn, Carmel M.
AU - Porwal, Mamta
AU - Meagher, Nicola S.
AU - Hettiaratchi, Anusha
AU - Power, Carl
AU - Jonnaggadala, Jitendra
AU - McCullough, Sue
AU - Macmillan, Stephanie
AU - Tang, Katrina
AU - Liauw, Winston
AU - Goldstein, David
AU - Zeps, Nikolajs
AU - Crowe, Philip J.
N1 - Funding Information:
The HSA Biobank was established in 2012 as a collaborative partnership between the University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney, Australia), the South Eastern Area Laboratory Service, SEALS (now NSW Health Pathology; NSWHP) and the South Eastern Sydney Local Health District (SESLHD). This was established through a Translational Cancer Research Centre (the Translational Cancer Research Network, TCRN), funded by the Cancer Institute NSW (CINSW), a NSW state government cancer control agency. Participating hospitals are those within the Local Health District: The Prince of Wales Hospital (POWH), Prince of Wales Private hospital (POWP), Royal Hospital for Women (RHW), St George Hospital (SGH), St George Private Hospital (SGPH), The Sutherland Hospital (TSH); in addition, there is a regional participating institution, Border Medical Oncology (BMO) located in Albury, NSW.
Funding Information:
We would like to acknowledge the Cancer Institute NSW for funding the Translational Cancer Research Network (TCRN) which has operated the biobank, as well as the contribution of UNSW Sydney for funding aspects of the biobank including infrastructure and salary; additional funding was provided by the Health Science Alliance. We would like to thank the clinicians across the hospital sites within the SESLHD for consenting patients, the NSWHP anatomical pathology staff for facilitating access to specimens, the data custodians who have facilitated access to data for specimen annotation, the researchers with whom we have worked (in particular in the pilot project areas), and the patients themselves for generously agreeing to participate in research through granting access to their specimens and data.
Funding Information:
The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: The HSA Biobank received financial support from the Translational Cancer Research Network (a Cancer Institute NSW Translational Cancer Research Centre), UNSW Sydney, and the Health Science Alliance.
Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2021.
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - Human biobanks are recognised as vital components of translational research infrastructure. With the growth in personalised and precision medicine, and the associated expansion of biomarkers and novel therapeutics under development, it is critical that researchers can access a strong collection of patient biospecimens, annotated with clinical data. Biobanks globally are undertaking transformation of their operating models in response to changing research needs; transition from a ‘classic’ model representing a largely retrospective collection of pre-defined specimens to a more targeted, prospective collection model, although there remains a research need for both models to co-exist. Here we introduce the Health Science Alliance (HSA) Biobank, established in 2012 as a classic biobank, now transitioning to a hybrid operational model. Some of the past and current challenges encountered are discussed including clinical annotation, specimen utilisation and biobank sustainability, along with the measures the HSA Biobank is taking to address these challenges. We describe new directions being explored, going beyond traditional specimen collection into areas involving bioimages, microbiota and live cell culture. The HSA Biobank is working in collaboration with clinicians, pathologists and researchers, piloting a sustainable, robust platform with the potential to integrate future needs.
AB - Human biobanks are recognised as vital components of translational research infrastructure. With the growth in personalised and precision medicine, and the associated expansion of biomarkers and novel therapeutics under development, it is critical that researchers can access a strong collection of patient biospecimens, annotated with clinical data. Biobanks globally are undertaking transformation of their operating models in response to changing research needs; transition from a ‘classic’ model representing a largely retrospective collection of pre-defined specimens to a more targeted, prospective collection model, although there remains a research need for both models to co-exist. Here we introduce the Health Science Alliance (HSA) Biobank, established in 2012 as a classic biobank, now transitioning to a hybrid operational model. Some of the past and current challenges encountered are discussed including clinical annotation, specimen utilisation and biobank sustainability, along with the measures the HSA Biobank is taking to address these challenges. We describe new directions being explored, going beyond traditional specimen collection into areas involving bioimages, microbiota and live cell culture. The HSA Biobank is working in collaboration with clinicians, pathologists and researchers, piloting a sustainable, robust platform with the potential to integrate future needs.
KW - Biobank
KW - Biorepository
KW - Biospecimen
KW - Cancer research
KW - Sustainability
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85103200361&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/11772719211005745
DO - 10.1177/11772719211005745
M3 - Comment / Debate
AN - SCOPUS:85103200361
SN - 1177-2719
VL - 16
SP - 1
EP - 10
JO - Biomarker Insights
JF - Biomarker Insights
ER -