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Upcoming Events
7th Annual Australasian Biospecimen Network Meeting -
The 7th Annual Australasian Biospecimen Network (ABN) Meeting will be held on the 6th November, 2009 at the Citigate Albert Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. In addition, the ABN Meeting Dinner will be held at The Point, Albert Park Lake on the evening of Thursday 5th November prior to the meeting. Further details will follow shortly.
Familial Aspects of Cancer: Research and Practice - Mantra on Salt Beach, Kingscliff, Queensland
The 'Familial Aspects of Cancer: Research and Practice' Conference will be held from 12-14 August 2009 at Mantra on Salt Beach, Kingscliff, Queensland, Australia. This is a joint meeting of kConFab, the Australian Ovarian Cancer Study, the Australian Breast Cancer Family Study, the Australasian Colorectal Cancer Family Study and the Family Cancer Clinics of Australia and New Zealand. For more information, please go to www.kconfab.org.
Flyer
HUGO 14th Human Genome Meeting - Montpelier, France 2010
The Human Genome Organisation is holding it's 14th Human Genome Meeting in Montpelier, France in 2010. Click here for more information.
HUPO 8th Annual World Conference - Amsterdam, The Netherlands
The 8th Human Proteome Organisation World Congress will be held in the city of Toronto, Canada, during September 26th-30th, 2009. Click here for more information. The 9th HUPO World Congress will be held in the city of Sydney, Australia, during September 19th-24th, 2010.
ABN-Oncology Project
Work on the Australasian Biospecimen Network-Oncology Project has begun. This project, funded by an Enabling Grant from the NHMRC for 5 years, involves the development of state, national, and international resource for clinical, epidemiological, and molecular research into cancer. The main aim of the ABN-Onc project is to support, link and grow the tumour banking efforts of institutions in Australia. As part of this aim, we are establishing a web-based tissue specimen locator which allows researchers to search a national database to find out if and where the tissue they need is available. A protocol document will also be developed in order to maintain a high quality of samples across collection sites and assist new tissue banks in developing procedures, and communication across the ABN will be strengthened by mechanisms such as newsletters, email lists, and this website, keeping members in touch with our activities.
Development of the Tissue Specimen Locator - Progress Report
The ABN-Oncology Tissue Specimen Locator has been available on line since late 2006. Several ABN-Oncology banks are now linked up, to search for specimens please click on the Search for Biospecimens link in the menu options. Expressions of Interest to have samples listed on the site can be made by contacting the ABN-Oncology Hub Manager. **Please note: the TSL search page is currently being upgraded. During this period, for assistance with searching for biospecimens available through the ABN-Oncology network of biobanks, please contact the ABN-Oncology Hub Manager **.
Guidelines for Biorepository Protocols
A document containing general guidelines and suggested protocols for biorepositories has been completed and placed on our Protocols page. These guidelines cover issues such as consent, specimen collection, specimen processing, and storage. With this document, the ABN hopes not only to provide information for new biorepositories or biorepositories developing new protocols, but also to add to the literature surrounding best practice principles in tissue banking.
Tissue Collection Activities
Click on the links below to see graphs of ABN-Oncology's biospecimen collection activities to March 2009.
New National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research Now Available
Following extensive public consultation, the NHMRC has released it's new National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research Involving Humans. The new National Statement includes more extensive guidance on consent, and chapters on human tissue samples, human stem cells, and research involving foetal tissue. It is available from the NHMRC website.
New ABN Publication
Our executive committee has recently had an article about Tissue Banking and the ABN-Oncology project published in the Australian Journal of Medical Science. Entitled ‘The importance of biorepository networks: the Australasian Biospecimen Network - Oncology"', it is available from the Informit website.
Establishment of a 'Pathology Support Unit' as a Service for Researchers
The availability of tumour tissue to cancer scientists from recognized tumour banks has allowed researchers to translate basic understanding of cell biology into knowledge of molecular processes in malignant tissue.
Vital to using human tissue in research applications are the availability of specialised research-oriented histopathology services. The availability of such specialised histopathology services are currently limited with cancer researchers often relying on collaborative relationships and goodwill with hospital pathologists, whose time is often limited. More recently, new technologies have been developed which are designed to facilitate translational research using human tissue, but require specialized technical expertise.
Within the Children’s Hospital at Westmead Tumour Bank we have established a Pathology Support Laboratory (PSL) to support NSW cancer researchers and those working with ABN-Oncology, to facilitate research through the provision of specialized expertise in research-based tissue handling techniques. The PSL will support cancer researchers accessing tissue stored via the Australasian Biospecimen Network through
- the provision of basic tissue sectioning and standard stains, as well as high through-put immunohistochemistry for known or novel targets.
- the creation of tissue microarrays which will allow for the simultaneous examination of hundred of tissue ‘spots’ gridded onto a microscope slide.
- the provision of a digital platform for scanning microscope slides which generate high resolution images of tissue sections, which can viewed at remote sites via the internet, facilitating pathology review by experts around the world, and thus enabling researchers access to ‘virtual’ microscopy facilities.
For further details please contact:
The Tumour Bank,
The Oncology Research Unit,
The Children’s Hospital at Westmead
Locked Bag 4001,
Westmead NSW 2145.
Phone 02 98451205 or 02 98453028 email TumourB@chw.edu.au
Establishment of other Enabling Grant Facilities
Breast Cancer Tissue Bank
The Breast Cancer Tissue Bank (BCTB) is a Breast Cancer research resource. It is supported by a collaborative network of cancer clinicians and researchers in Australia who cooperate to provide samples and clinical information from breast cancer patients for use in research. The over all aim of the BCTB is to improve outcomes for breast cancer patients. The initiative was launched in 2005 with support from an Enabling Grant from the National Health and Medical Research Council as well as the National Breast Cancer Foundation and Cancer Institute NSW. The Project Manager of the BCTB is Ms Jane Carpenter who co-ordinates operation from the Westmead Millennium Institute and there are six collection centres established in NSW. For further information regarding the BCTB contact jane_carpenter@wmi.usyd.edu.au or go to www.abctb.org.au.
CellBank Australia
CellBank Australia is now up and running. CellBank Australia is a repository for quality-controlled cell lines used in research. As part of this overall aim, cell cultures of value to the research community are collected from sources within Australia and overseas. Cultures are assessed for quality, replicated in the Cell Bank Australia cell culture laboratories, stored in liquid nitrogen, and then distributed on a cost-recovery basis to researchers on request. They are located at the Children's Medical Research Institute at Westmead in NSW. Funding for this project has been provided by the National Breast Cancer Foundation, the Cure Cancer Australia Foundation, and by an Enabling Grant from the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia. For enquiries about the cell bank, please email info@cellbankaustralia.com or go to www.cellbankaustralia.com.
Genetic Repositories Australia
Genetic Repositories Australia (GRA) aims to provide a central national facility for establishing, distributing and maintaining the long-term secure storage of human genetic samples from a variety of sources. GRA will provide Australian medical researchers with a central facility for the processing and secure storage of DNA and cell lines (B-lymphoblastoid cultures established from peripheral blood) collected from patients, controls and epidemiological participants from studies on a range of diseases and their outcomes. The Repositories will provide a source of clinically validated but de-identified patient material, with complete phenotypic descriptors of disease and family or cohort structure that will permit genetic analyses for disease gene identification. In addition, GRA will provide a facility, for researchers who are not themselves able to pursue DNA based research, to deposit materials for collaborative research. For more information, please email gra@unsw.edu.au or go to www.powmri.edu.au/GRA.htm.
Previous ABN Annual Meetings
The 6th Annual Australasian Biospecimen Network (ABN) Meeting was held on November 21, 2008 at the Citigate Central, Sydney. The conference theme " Enabling medical research: Opportunities and challenges for tissue banks within health " explored issues related to tissue banking practice, in particular the role of tissue banks in enabling medical research by providing biospecimens for both clinical trials and new research technologies. This sixth conference looked at some valuable research opportunities made available through the use of biospecimens, and an afternoon panel discussion and open forum addressed the challenges involved in maintaining tissue banks, which are increasingly becoming an integral part of the research community.
Highlights of the meeting included the opening address by Professor Warwick Anderson, Chief Executive Officer of the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). His talk entitled “ Building Highways from Research to Better Health ” allowed participants to hear about the important work that the NHMRC are doing to support both researchers and research infrastructure within Australia. Through the generous support of our sponsors, we were able to fund two international speakers; Dr Julie Gastier-Foster from the Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, USA and Mr Peter Geary from the Canadian Tumour Repository Network , Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Dr Gastier-Foster spoke during the morning session which explored tissue banking enabling clinical applications from an international perspective, with Dr Steve Ackland, Clinical Oncological Society of Australia, presenting an Australian perspective during the same session. Mr Peter Geary gave a very relevant and topical presentation on models of sustainability for tissue banking “Taking care of business” . His talk generated much consideration and an engaging question and answer session. Other highlights included the poster session presentations, and of course the conference dinner, providing an opportunity to interact with collegues from around Australia, share knowledge and make new contacts.
Recent Publications Relevant to Biorepositories
Towie, N. (2007) 'London Hospital launches infectious disease 'biobank'', Nature Medicine 13(6): 653
McHale, J., Habiba, M., Dixon-Woods, M., Cavers, D., Heney, D. & Pritchard-Jones, K. (2007) 'Consent for childhood cancer tissue banking in the UK: The effect of the Human Tissue Act 2004'. The Lancet Oncology 8: 266-272
Zeps, N. Iacopetta, B.J. Schofield, L. George, J.M. & Goldblatt, J. (2007) 'Waiver of individual consent in research: When do potential benefits to the community outweigh private rights?', Medical Journal of Australia 186(2): 88-90
Charo, RA. (2006) 'Body of Research - Ownership and Use of Human Tissue', New England Journal of Medicine 355(15): 1519-9
Hede, K. (2006) 'New Biorepository Guidelines Raise Concerns', Journal of the National Cancer Institute 98 (14): 952-954
Kapp, M.B. (2006) 'Ethical and legal issues in research involving human subjects: Do you want a piece of me?', Journal of Clinical Pathology 59: 355-339
Kaphingst KA, Janoff JM, Harris LN, Emmons KM. (2006) 'Views of female breast cancer patients who donated biologic samples regarding storage and use of samples for genetic research', Clinical Genetics 69: 393–398.
Knopper, BM. Joly, Y. Simard, J. Durocher, F. (2006) 'The emergence of an ethical duty to disclose genetic research results: international perspectives', European Journal of Human Genetics 14(11): 1170-8
Lipworth, W., Ankeny, R. & Kerridge, I. (2006). 'Consent in crisis: the need to reconceptualise consent in tissue banking research', Internal Medicine Journal 36: 124-128
Morrin, H., Gunningham, S., Currie, M., Dachs, G., Fox, S. & Robinson, B. (2005) "The Christchurch Tissue Bank to support cancer research", The New Zealand Medical Journal 118 (1225): 1735
Schmidt, C. (2006) "Tissue Banks Trigger Worry About Ownership Issues", Journal of the National Cancer Institute 98 (17): 1174-5
Tissue Bank at Brisbane's Royal Children's Hospital
The Australasian Biospecimen Network is proud to announce a major initiative which has come about as a result of the successful relationship between The Children’s Hospital at Westmead (CHW) - Paediatric Tumour Bank and Kayaking and Cycling for Kemo Kids (KC4KK). KC4KK is a volunteer driven non-profit charitable organisation set up in 1998 to raise money for children’s cancer research and organisations that support children with cancer. To date, they have raised more than $400,000 for the CHW Tumour Bank alone.
Following the success of the CHW Tumour Bank, KC4KK wanted to expand their work supporting and promoting children’s cancer research by assisting in the development of a Paediatric Tumour Bank in Brisbane, using the model of the CHW Tumour Bank as a guide, and linking in with the ABN. |
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In June 2006, the Royal Children’s Hospital Brisbane was approached to consider the establishment of Queensland’s first Paediatric Tumour Bank Research Unit. Funds raised by KC4KK would assist with salary costs. Advice and support would be provided byThe Children’s Hospital at Westmead and the ABN.
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We are pleased to announce that the dedicated team at RCHB Oncology Unit & Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation have agreed to take on such a worthwhile challenge to establish Queensland’s first Paediatric Tumour Bank.
It is hoped that the new Tumour Bank will be established in early 2007, and will result in the availability of many more biospecimens to facilitate paediatric cancer research. The ABN would like to thank KC4KK for their generous support of this initiative.
For more information about KC4KK, please visit their website at www.k4kk.com.au. |
