To collect tissue and blood samples for future cancer research. At the moment researchers do collect samples but this is usually for specific projects within specific groups. Biobank Ireland is developing an infrastructure which allows cancer samples to be collected in Dublin (Beaumont & St. James’s Hospitals), Cork and Galway. These samples are stored and released to researchers once they have both ethical and scientific approval for their projects. The difference between the new biobank network and the previous system is that all researchers will now have access to samples, whereas previously access was more limited. In this manner, potential new information is maximised, as there are enough samples from each Patient to be included in different studies investigating different aspects of cancer at the same time.
The biobank network is also beneficial for researchers: they can now spend more time at the bench generating results rather than collecting samples, while the biobank scientist does that work for them. It is hoped that new discoveries will be made more quickly and efficiently, ultimately leading to new drugs being brought onto the market sooner, thus benefiting our future cancer Patients.
The tissue collected in the network hospitals can be combined in one large study. In the past, small studies included fewer samples, and as such the discoveries made in these experiments were often not relevant to the wider population. Large studies are important as they increase the probability of identifying and confirming changes linked to cancer which are present in a broad section of patients.