TiMBR - Tata Medical Center Biorepository is a research infrastructure providing critical fuel to research activities performed at Tata Translational Cancer Research Centre. TiMBR aims to facilitate access to high quality bio-specimens for translational cancer research leading to precision oncology, following international, national and institutional regulations involving operational, legal and ethical aspects of a biorepository. TiMBR has come a long way since its inception. Being a single, organized, common resource, TiMBR provides samples to various research domains namely Genomics, Proteomics and Cell Biology for downstream experimental procedures.

Biorepository Capacity and Tracking

The current overall vial storage capacity of TiMBR is up to 1.5 lakhs tube samples. The biorepository is equipped to process and store whole blood, buffy coats, sera, plasma, cerebrospinal fluid, DNA, RNA and tissue. All biospecimens are tracked throughout their life cycle—from collection to sample disposition—using a customized laboratory information system - LabVantage.

Plan

  • Objective of the project
  • Inclusion and exclusion criteria
  • Study Design
  • Timeline
  • Excess Sample Utilisation

Regulate

  • Approvals from Institutional Review Board & TiMBR Oversight Committee
  • Ethical Documents
  • Funding and other resources
  • Standard Operating Protocols SOP
  • Data Management

Collect

  • Consent
  • Sample in predefined conditions as per downstream requirement-SOP
  • Clinical Information

Transport

  • Samples in predefined conditions to maintain integrity till processing-SOP
  • Pseudo-anonymized Data (Hospital Management System to LabVantage)

Process

  • Samples following SOPs based on sample type and downstream activity
  • Sample information and relevant clinical information

Protect

  • Samples in predefined storage conditions as per downstream requirement
  • Storage Units– Daily manual vigilance and remote monitoring
  • Prompt breakdown reporting and back up actions
  • Sample information through LIMS

Retrieve

  • Sample availability and location information from LabVantage
  • Samples following SOPs based on sample type and downstream activity

Analyse

  • Analyse samples for biomarker identification, drug response and efficacy

Repurpose-Dispose

  • Repurpose unutilised samples for other activities (eg.: Quality control)
  • Dispose excess unutilisable samples as per discard policy

Report

  • Clinically relevant information
  • Present to stakeholders
  • Publish

Meet the Team