Biospecimens
Biospecimens – a term meaning biological specimens – are samples of tissues, cells, fluids or other biological materials collected from living organisms including humans, animals or plants, for scientific and medical purposes.
These specimens are essential for various research, diagnostic and clinical studies. Biospecimens provide valuable insights into the biology of the organisms they are collected from and can be used for a wide range of applications, includingpersonalised medicine, biomedical research, drug development, and genomic epidemiological studies.
The VCB primarily focuses on providing solid tissue or blood samples collected from people receiving cancer care, such as during surgery, pathology or colonoscopy.
Biospecimen journey
1Donors consent to having material collected
2The material is processed at the hospital tissue bank sites for VCB projects
3Certain projects receive the material directly after collection
4Material not used for a current project is safely banked in our facilities until a use is found
5Research is conducted using the material, which results in improvements in cancer outcomes through better knowledge, diagnosis and treatments