Overview

The CCTS Biobank is automating biobank operations through the development of a custom online software application referred to as SLED (Sample Location and Enhancement Distribution). This is an internally developed, automated system which provides for sample request management (request, approval, distribution, tracking, and reporting), while allowing the data and samples to remain with and under the control of the primary investigator. The project is a collaborative effort between the CCTS Biobank and the informatics team at the University Of Texas School of Biomedical Informatics. The initial design was constructed using best practices offered by NIH, NCI, and other biobank industry leaders to support and to improve synergy and interaction among various research efforts.

The biobank employs a federated rather than a centralized model which encourages participation by sample owners who are concerned about guaranteeing their ownership of samples and sample information about patients, samples and related clinical data. In a federated model, individual sites agree on shared policies and procedures for data and sample sharing and oversight. Samples remain with and are governed by the contributing principal investigator at each site. The contributing investigator has final authority whether or not to collaborate or to release samples to qualified researchers.

Purpose

The goal of SLED is to help researchers overcome two of the biggest obstacles preventing their research from beginning: 1) locating samples and related data, and 2) requesting of samples and related data. Prior to SLED’s inception the existing system was limited to providing links to samples and data and relying on phone calls to sample owners to facilitate sharing.