The VCB is the largest open access cancer biobank in Australia.
Our resources empower researchers and facilitates groundbreaking scientific discoveries. From uncovering potential cancer biomarkers, to revolutionary cancer detection technology and innovative cancer monitoring methods, the VCB has been instrumental in advancing the field and supporting people affected by cancer.
Recruitment
39,441 participants with 450,000 tissue and blood specimens readily available for research
Empowering Research
Our services have benefited over 300 research projects and over 100 clinical trials
Basic science
Biotechnology innovation
Clinical trials
Personalised medicine
In 2022-23, 14,692 specimens have contributed to over 60 projects working on prevalent cancers (e.g. breast, bowel) and low-survival cancers (e.g. lung)
Some long-term users: CSIRO, Monash University, ONJCRI, Rhythm Biosciences, WEHI
Established an MOU with Singapore Translational Cancer Consortium to foster cancer research collaboration
Impact
Contributing to novel innovation, such as:
ColoSTAT®: Easy blood test for bowel cancer
DYNAMIC studies: Development of ctDNA technology to monitor cancer treatment response in colorectal and pancreatic cancers
Novel ‘prick blood’ test for cancer monitoring under development by Universal Biosensors
330 Scientific publications
$1.59 return of Investment for every dollar invested in VCB
We supported researchers to secure funding of over $16 million in the past two years
Stories of our impact View all
Through the generosity of the donations of thousands of Victorians, the VCB has been able to bridge the gap between research and real-world impact.
Wednesday 21 December 2022
A new protein involved in breast cancer has been revealed by Dr Jeremy Drake (Victoria University) and a group of Australian and international collaborators.
Wednesday 21 December 2022
Universal Biosensors, a Victorian based company, has obtained biospecimens from VCB for their international development clinical study. Their study aims to develop a handheld portable cancer biosensor for T and Tn Antigen using a “finger prick” blood test for measuring patient cancer remission and reoccurrence.
Professor Michael Jennings and his laboratory at Griffith University’s Institute of Glycomics, along with collaborators Prof James Patton and Prof A Patton at the University of Adelaide, have developed a novel technology for the early detection of various cancers including ovarian and breast cancer.
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The VCB is a critical infrastructure that provides vital resources for researchers to improve cancer outcomes, and we’re proud to support their pioneering work to change and save lives – it’s innovations like these that demonstrate why the Victorian Government’s investment in medical research is so critically important.
Honorary Ben Carroll, Minister for Medical Research
Victorian Government
The support provided by the VCB, which included recruitment and provision of high-quality blood samples from donor participants, was instrumental for the foundational biomarker discovery and development work that we undertook at CSIRO, which has been critical for commercial success.
Dr Kim Fung, Principal Research Scientist
CSIRO
The support provided by the VCB, its staff, and its network of hospitals, and in particular the generosity of its sample donors, have all been critical in enabling the great progress that our company has made in developing a new, simple, blood-based diagnostic test for the early detection of colorectal cancer and our other target cancers.”
Dr Trevor Lockett, Technical Director
Rhythm Biosciences