Middlemore Tissue Bank
The LBF has joined with the Middlemore Tissue Bank (MTB) recognising their mutual aims of advancing the treatment of blood cancers and related blood conditions.
The LBF made a generous donation of $25,000 to MTB. The donation will be used to purchase equipment for the new MTB facility. According to the Centre for Clinical Research and effective practive (CCRep), the partnership will also enhance community interaction with the MTB and provide an avenue for potential donors to seek independent support and information about tissue banking. Click here to learn more about the Middlemore Tissue Bank.
Dr. Samar Issa, Middlemore Tissue Bank, Clinical Director and Haematologist, Middlemore Hospital
A comprehensive tumour tissue bank is being set up at Middlemore Hospital. This will become a regional collection centre for human tumour-related biospecimens for research, facilitating advances in cancer therapy. A generous grant from the Freemasons Roskill Foundation allowed the vision of a number of individuals to progress towards becoming a reality. In addition, the collaboration of researchers, clinicians, academics and groups like the LBF are crucial to the success of this facility.
Tissue banks are an integral part of all state-of-the-art hospitals and cancer centres worldwide. They allow the establishment of databases with clinical, histological, genetic, therapeutic and follow-up information on cancer patients, which are important tools for increasing our knowledge on tumours, and eventually leading to developing better treatments.
The goals of the Middlemore Tissue Bank (MTB) are to:
• create a comprehensive database with information specific to cancers common in New Zealanders;
• facilitate understanding about why particular cancers behave differently in different ethnic groups;
• provide scientists with access to the vast amount of cancer tissue samples required to support research projects;
• identify genes controlling cancer growth;
• develop new cancer-fighting drugs and better diagnostic tests and
• attract talented scientists and doctors to the region.
Patients who are willing to donate tumour tissue that is left over after a sample is removed for diagnosis or treatment will sign a consent document indicating their approval that this may be used for research purposes. Donation of tissue will not compromise the diagnostic process or impact on additional investigations that might be required. In addition, there will be stringent procedures in place to safeguard the privacy of donors.
Researchers must submit a formal request to the MTB and sign a usage agreement. The MTB scientific committee will determine the scientific merit of each request and prioritise these to ensure optimal use of the tissue samples.
The MTB is governed by the Centre for Clinical Research and effective practice (CCRep), a charitable trust associated with Counties Manukau District Health Board (CMDHB) which manages research at Middlemore Hospital. It is a privilege to have been appointed the founding Clinical Director of the MTB; my role is to oversee and guide the clinical progress of the bank.
Key personnel include Dr. Stuart Ryan, General Manager of CCRep and MTB Curator Daphne Mason whose role is to bring the MTB from concept to reality, and then to manage day-to-day operations. The aim is to begin sample collection in the second half of 2010.
There is also the Cancer Society Tissue Bank, located in Christchurch and has been in operation since 1996. The bank is a collaboration between the Cancer Society of New Zealand, Canterbury DHB and the University of Otago and has thus far received samples from over 5000 patients.
