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Category: Preclinical & Clinical


New Automated Cryostorage System Fits All Spaces from Lab to Clinic

Azenta Launches CryoArc™ Pico at SLAS2023 Many cell and gene therapies today rely on cryostorage with precise cold chain handling to ensure the viability and effectiveness of the cells that deliver life-saving treatments. But accessing these cell therapies can sometimes be a cumbersome process for labs and clinics that don’t have the space needed to […]

Biobanking Quality Management Systems and Best Practices

Part 2 of our Protecting Complete Chain of Custody Series As we discussed in our last post, the Role of Biobanking in Protecting Sample Chain of Custody, biobanks serve as biospecimen libraries as well as sample data, validation, and reference sources for both research and clinical labs. Like any part of a controlled process, establishment of a quality […]

Role of Biobanking in Protecting Sample Chain of Custody

Part 1 of our Protecting Complete Chain of Custody Series As key components of the research ecosystem, biobanks share a vital function and critical responsibility in the protection of biospecimens. They are centralized members in the chain of custody for samples, and as such, have an impact on both upstream and downstream portions of the molecular biologist’s […]

Navigating the Complexities of CGT Clinical Trial Sample Management

As cell and gene therapies (CGT) advance into the clinical stage, many cold chain complexities arise not only for these novel products but also for the biological samples that must be collected from patients during clinical trials. Managing these sensitive materials—including storage, transportation, and tracking—requires robust and adaptable systems to ensure safety, integrity, and regulatory […]

How to Stay ‘Informed’ About Informed Consent

Informed consent is a legal and ethical requirement of all clinical research. While specific patient consent guidelines differ around the world1, all conform to the Declaration of Helsinki’s principles of protecting patients involved in clinical research2. Using broad, generic or tiered consent will allow researchers to reuse patient samples in future studies. Many funding agencies, such as […]

Five Ways to Shorten Your Clinical Trial Timeline

Clinical trials take years. In some cases—a decade or more. The need for shorter clinical study timelines from the bench to the bedside is critical because it means patients get access to new treatments faster. Besides the enormous amount of time involved, this level of research requires funding. Upwards of hundreds of millions of dollars […]

Academic Biobanking: What’s Happening, and What’s in Store for the Future?

Academic biobanks support preclinical and translational research by collecting, storing, analyzing, and distributing biological samples and associated data to academic and industry researchers. And in fact, hundreds of academic biobanks have been established over the past decade to support the growing emphasis on personalized medicine, genetic and genomic research, biomarker identification, and companion diagnostic development.1 […]

How to Optimize Biosample Collections to Meet Future Demand

As the demand for biospecimens continues to increase, biorepositories must develop strategies to optimize utility, efficiency, and scope of their biosample collections. Modern technology solutions must not only address sample tracking and annotation but also enable sample sharing wherever possible. How can this be implemented? Biorepositories and Biobanks Modernized Research Strategies Once upon a time, […]

Clinical Sample Management: Understand It Before You Improve It

Clinical samples are important. Samples collected at a doctor’s office or hospital are used to diagnose disease, guide treatment, and predict patient outcomes. They’re also important for drug discovery and development, where they can be used to track disease stages, look for biomarkers, develop diagnostic assays, and many other purposes. Knowing how to deal with […]

Solving Patient Recruitment Challenges with Sample Repurposing

Patient recruitment is one of the biggest challenges when running a clinical trial. Repurposing samples for multiple research studies can help reduce the burden of patient recruitment and the burden on patients themselves.  Repurposing Samples as a Clinical Study Strategy World Pharma Today recently published an article by Katheryn Shea, Global Biobanking Lead at Azenta Life […]