The Pancreas Tissue Bank (PCRFTB): Global facilitation of pancreatic research.

Abstract

e16416 Background: Pancreatic cancer claims > 300,000 lives per year globally. Research into human disease is hampered by lack of availability of well-annotated human samples. Methods: Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund Tissue Bank (PCRFTB) was set up as world’s first national pancreas tissue bank to provide access to clinically well-annotated samples collected according to standardised protocols and reliably stored. Informed consent is obtained from patients with suspected benign, pre-malignant and malignant pancreatico-biliary diseases, together with healthy controls to provide contemporaneous controls for case-control studies using blood and its components, urine and saliva in addition to matched fresh frozen and fixed samples from diseased and healthy tissues. Comprehensive clinical data with 300 data-points per visit are clinically verified. Results: Since 2015, across nine tertiary referral Centres across England and Wales, we have obtained consent from over 3,700 donors and collected over 110,000 tissue, fluid and cell samples. Patient derived organoids and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) derived from various primary pancreas tumours using standardised protocols and with certification have been developed. Over 100 standardised operating procedures in a custom-built Quality Management System (QMS) allow harmonised multi-centre consenting, collection, storage and distribution of data and samples along with quality control and assurance with additional audits, dashboards and governance to achieve highest quality, robust and reliable research from these valuable human samples. We are in the process of achieving ISO 20387 certification in early 2025. A multidisciplinary PCRFTB Tissue Access Committee (PCRFTB TAC) undertakes in-confidence, rapid-access peer review of applications for access of samples and / or data based on quality of the science, priority, power and supporting preliminary data. Thus far 108 expressions of interest has led to provision of samples and/or data to 50 research projects from commercial and academic institutions globally. Research impact emanating from PCRFTB samples data is enhanced by mandating experimental data return from researchers through the custom-built pancreatic cancer bio-informatics portal Pancreatic Expression Database (PED). PED also allows researchers to access, mine and investigate datasets, preventing duplication of investigation efforts and conserving sample resources. Conclusions: PCRFTB facilitates global pancreatic cancer research.