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Biobank samples

Find out what samples the biobank has available to order. And take a look at the pricing structure.

Use our Sample Finder to search the biobank.

1. Available material

We offer a variety of cancerous material from female and male breast cancer patients.

Using the criteria below, the biobank can narrow down the samples suitable for your work depending on your scientific question:

  • Receptors – ER, PGR and HER2
  • Patient gender
  • Menopausal status
  • Invasive characteristics – tumour type and grade 
  • Non-invasive characteristics – DCIS status/LCIS status
  • Sample characteristics – preservation method, tissue type, primary or recurrence.

We're also able to provide samples of non-cancerous tissue, either snap frozen or formalin-fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE). Non-cancerous tissue available includes:

  • Normal tissue from cosmetic reduction mammoplasties (no history or family history of breast cancer)
  • Tissue from prophylactic mastectomies (carriers of genetic mutations or family history that predisposes breast cancer)
  • Contralateral tissue
  • Surround or adjacent tissue to the tumour

Material from the Breast Cancer Now Biobank is available to researchers from both academic and commercial institutions. The Breast Cancer Now Biobank aims to recover some of the costs for supplying samples to the research community.

Material available and the cost recovery applied is outlined below:

Single section:
Commercial: £15
Academic (33% discount): £10.50
BCN funded: n/a

Each subsequent section from same case:
Commercial: £4.50
Academic (33% discount): £3
BCN funded: n/a

Single slide from FFPE tissue:
Commercial: £19
Academic (33% discount): £12.75
BCN funded: n/a

Single slide from snap frozen tissue:
Commercial: £19
Academic (33% discount): £12.75
BCN funded: n/a

Initial section:
Commercial: £25
Academic (33% discount): £17.00
BCN funded: n/a

Each subsequent section from same case:
Commercial: £6.50
Academic (33% discount): £4.50
BCN funded: n/a

Each aliquot:
Commercial: £125
Academic (33% discount): £82
BCN funded: n/a

Whole blood freshly drawn 8-10ml (vacutainer):
Commercial: £125
Academic (33% discount): £82
BCN funded: n/a

Plasma – 500ul:
Commercial: £12.50
Academic (33% discount): £8.50
BCN funded: n/a

Buffy coat – usually all obtained per vacutainer, 1- 1.5ml:
Commercial: £12.50
Academic (33% discount): £8.50
BCN funded: n/a

Serum – 500ul:
Commercial: £12.50
Academic (33% discount): £8.50
BCN funded: n/a

One whole slide image:
Commercial: £75
Academic (33% discount): £18
BCN funded: n/a

Pre-made TMA (first section):
Commercial: £0.62 per core + £92 TMA fee 
Academic: £0.38 per core + £61.50 TMA fee
BCN funded: n/a

Pre-made TMA (subsequent sections):
Commercial: 10% cost of first section
Academic: 10% cost of first section
BCN funded: n/a

Bespoke TMA construction (first section):
Commercial: £75 per hour to create and £92 TMA fee
Academic (inc. BCN funded): £75 per hour to create and £61.50 TMA fee

Bespoke TMA (subsequent sections):
Commercial: 10% cost of first section
Academic (inc. BCN funded): 10% cost of first section

Admin fee (per request):
Commercial: £500
Academic: £150
BCN funded: n/a

Bespoke sample preparation work:
£75 per hour to process

Bespoke data collection:
£55 per hour to retrieve

*Please note, applicants are responsible for courier costs.

2. Bespoke requests

If you're interested in material or data that's not listed above, please contact us as we'd be happy to discuss further whether the Breast Cancer Now Biobank (BCNB) can help you with your sample requirements.

3. Archival collection

The BCNB boasts a unique collection of archival FFPE tissue blocks which are available to the research community.

This collection contains pathological samples from the 1940s through to the 1970s, including breast biopsies, and cancerous and benign lesions of the breast. The data available on the samples includes detailed pathological features at collection.

Our archival collection offers researchers an insight into breast cancer and how the disease has changed since the 1940s.

It also offers access to samples of tumour tissue that have not been affected by neoadjuvant therapy.

FFPE tissue can successfully be used for a range of processes including immunohistochemistry, RNA and DNA extraction. Please see the article 'The value of archival tissue blocks in understanding breast cancer biology' for more information.

The archival collection isn't currently available to request online. Please email us for more information.

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