Urological Biorepository (Biobank)

The Urological Biorepository is a significant resource where in excess of 35,000 samples are preserved for downstream research into prostate cancer. These are samples that have been resourced from more than 2,000 patients undergoing Robotically Assisted Radical Prostatectomy (RARP).

A frozen section of tissue from the tumour is taken and its nature established microscopically. A matching sample of benign tissue is also preserved. Whole blood, plasma, urine and fat are also taken from each patient to complete the tissue set for research and is stored in vapour phase liquid nitrogen freezers.

Significantly, we can also collect matched samples of metastatic tissue harvested from other parts of the body. Most often in the case of prostate cancer this presents in bone metastasis. These matched primary tumours with metastatic occurrences are rare for research and enables downstream research which can lead to an understanding of the process that results in tumours spreading and in many cases shortening the life of the patient.

The biorepository and freezer allows us to contribute to one of the most significant collections of prostate cancer tissue samples worldwide, continuing collaboration with major research institutions including Oxford, Cambridge, John Hopkins and major long-term US studies such as the Human Genome Atlas and the Pan Prostate Cancer group (PPCG).