UK’s first one-stop tumour tissue bank opens to researchers

THE UK’s first brain tumour tissue bank accessible to researchers and scientists across the country has been established by Glasgow University.

The unit, based at the city’s Southern General Hospital, will act as a repository of clinical information for all scientific, academic and commercial researchers.

For the first time, researchers from any organisation, irrespective of location, will be able to directly access tissue to test for sensitivity to chemotherapy, genetic links and to identify key markers for treatment.

It is hoped that by creating this one-stop central bank, the number of treatment options will be increased for patients in future.

Professor Anthony Chalmers, who is chairman of clinical oncology at the university and heads the project, said: “We hope this resource will transform research into brain tumours and serve as a source of material for researchers in the community throughout the UK.

“It’s the first brain tumour tissue bank that has been initiated specifically to provide high quality tumour specimens to all researchers whose applications are approved by the board of the Glasgow Biorepository [which holds human tissue samples]. Another important feature is that all specimens will be linked to high quality clinical data.

“We will know what the outcomes are of the tumours of the people we are studying.”

He added: “By making this resource available to other researchers, not only here but also around the world, we increase the likelihood that some valuable piece of information will come out of it.”

The tumour samples, which will be collected from next month, will be either embedded in paraffin wax or stored in a large freezer.

Prof Chalmers, who leads a programme for brain tumour research in Glasgow, said the project aimed to harvest samples from across the west coast.

He said: “The bank will benefit from all the infrastructure provided by the Glasgow Biorepository. We’ll be aiming to get samples from every brain tumour patient in the west of Scotland and that is between 100 and 200 cases a year, but storage capacity will not be an issue.”

The bank was set up using a donation of £30,000 from the charity Brainstrust. The cash was made possible by the fundraising efforts of Anita Smith, whose daughter Charlotte died from an aggressive brain tumour in 2008 at the age of 16.

Mrs Smith, who lives in Lyndhurst, Hampshire, said: “This unique brain tumour tissue bank will allow better translation of complicated science into treatment for patients such as Charlotte.

“We are thrilled that through our fundraising, and with the support of Brainstrust, we are able to leave a legacy that will help future generations of brain tumour patients across the UK.”

The donated money will also pay for a part-time technician to start collecting the samples and manage the tissue bank.

The university was selected because of the close collaboration work carried out between the Southern General and the Beatson Institute for Cancer Research, which the trust believes will help translate research breakthroughs into practical treatments.

Braintrust director Helen Bulbeck said: “As there is no structured research base currently in existence for brain tumours, despite brain cancer killing more children than any other illness, all efforts to bring together research options are vital.

“We really look forward to working closely with the University of Glasgow and the Southern General Hospital as this project develops.”