Biospecimen Collection Protocol

A wide variety of specimen types may be collected for storage, depending on availability and study goals, such as tissues that from autopsy and transplant, cell lines, and so on.Timing. In general, it is important to minimize the time between collection and stabilization and processing of tissue specimens. This time will vary according to the intended use, since different biomolecules degrade at different rates. The effects of collection timing on tissue and macromolecule preservation have not been well studied. The best approach is to collect, stabilize (freezing or fixing) and process tissue specimens as rapidly as possible.Surgical specimens. Remnant samples may be collected from diagnostic procedures. Depending on the intended use, specimens may be transported or frozen immediately. Samples requiring snap freezing can be frozen in a Dewar flask of liquid nitrogen or on dry ice at the time of collection. Otherwise, it is recommended that samples be transported in saline on wet ice to the repository or laboratory for additional processing.Transplant tissue and organs that are inappropriate for transplant may sometimes be made available for research. Often transplant tissue is of a higher quality than either surgical or autopsy specimens, due to the special efforts made to preserve the integrity of the transplant organs.