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Welcome to the NUH Tissue Repository (TR) website

Our mission: To provide researchers at NUH and NUS with high quality samples and associated clinical information in a manner that is safe, efficient and ethical.

Our values: Quality, Integrity and Service

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CTRNet Biobank Certification

Posted date: 27 October 2017

NUH Tissue Repository (TR) has been awarded CTRNet Biobank Certification for a 5 year period by the Canadian Tumour Repository Network in October 2017. The CTRNet Certification Program means that TR has completed an external/peer verification that TR’s biobanking and its staff, recognizes the strong commitment to adapt to and/or comply with the best practices standards and education on an ongoing basis following the completion of registration to the program. The CTRNet Certification Program comes packaged with the CTRNet Biobank Education endorsed by the International Society for Biological and Environmental (ISBER*).

Download to view the CTRNet Completion of Certification.

*ISBER is the only global forum that addresses harmonization of scientific, technical, legal and ethical issues relevant to repositories of biological and environmental specimens.
TR Cancer Tissues

Posted date: 26 March 2018

Figures are updated on a quarterly basis.

Tissue Type
Available Specimens
Breast
 698
O&G
 396
Colorectal
 1001
Gastric
 97
Liver
 273
Kidney
 227
Bone
 20
Central Nervous System
12
Digestive Organs
36
Endocrine Glands
97
Lip, Oral Cavity and Pharynx
11
Lymphoid
 18
Mesothelial and Soft Tissue
19
Respiratory
 143
Skin
 3
Urinary Tract
17
Male Genital Organs
39
Others and Unspecified
149
Ill Defined Sites
84

*Include matched and unmatched specimens

Biobanking budget in grant proposal

Posted date: 27 September 2017

The national grant funding body, eg, NMRC, had specified that the cost of acquiring bio-specimen materials should be factored in the grant application.

Cost recovery for material obtained or services provided by TR is essential to maintain the operational feasibility and sustainability of the facility. TR is a not-for-profit, BRC (Biological Resource Centre) facility. The bio-banking pricing information reflects costs associated with consumables and costs related to sample collection, processing, storage and distribution charges. TR will be able to assist in the budgeting for biomaterial requests for researcher's grant proposal.

TR’s FY17 bio-banking cost recovery schedule for NUHS users only is enclosed. The cost recovery schedule does not apply to non-NUHS, external and commercial users. Details of the fees will be provided separately upon application.

If you need further clarifications, please contact Wei Ling at wei_ling_tan@nuhs.edu.sg

Download to view the TR service price list.
Hospital-based Cancer Registry Data Elements

Posted date: 26 July 2016

The dataset of HCR was created according to the standards of North American Association of Central Cancer Registries (NAACCR), Commission on Cancer (CoC).

Data elements are presented by Diagnosis Year. Other data elements not included in the table can be collected but subjected to availability of resources. Please contact us for a discussion.

Diagnosis Year 2002-2009
  
Diagnosis Year 2010-2011
 
Diagnosis Year 2012-2013
 
Diagnosis Year 2014 onwards
  PATIENT IDENTIFICATION   PATIENT IDENTIFICATION   PATIENT IDENTIFICATION   PATIENT IDENTIFICATION
1 Patient ID 1 Patient ID 1 Patient ID 1 Patient ID
2 Patient Name 2 Patient Name 2 Patient Name 2 Patient Name
3 Sex 3 Sex 3 Sex 3 Sex
4 Race 4 Race 4 Race 4 Race
5 Nationality 5 Nationality 5 Nationality 5 Nationality
6 Date of Birth 6 Date of Birth 6 Date of Birth 6 Date of Birth
7 Age at Diagnosis 7 Age at Diagnosis 7 Age at Diagnosis 7 Age at Diagnosis
  CANCER IDENTIFICATION 8 Frequency of Smoking 8 Frequency of Smoking 8 Frequency of Smoking
8 Date of Diagnosis 9 Duration of Smoking 9 Duration of Smoking 9 Duration of Smoking
9 Primary Site 10 No of Cigarette Per Day 10 No of Cigarette Per Day 10 No of Cigarette Per Day
10 Laterality   CANCER IDENTIFICATION   CANCER IDENTIFICATION   CANCER IDENTIFICATION
11 Histologic Type 11 Date of Diagnosis 11 Date of Diagnosis 11 Date of Diagnosis
12 Behavior Code 12 Primary Site 12 Primary Site 12 Primary Site
13 Grade 13 Laterality 13 Laterality 13 Laterality
  STAGE OF DISEASE AT DIAGNOSIS 14 Histologic Type 14 Histologic Type 14 Histologic Type
14 TNM_CLIN_T 15 Behavior Code 15 Behavior Code 15 Behavior Code
15 TNM_CLIN_N 16 Grade 16 Grade 16 Grade
16 TNM_CLIN_M 17 Gleason Score 17 Gleason Score 17 Gleason Score
17 TNM_CLIN_STAGE_GROUP 18 ER 18 ER 18 ER
18 TNM_PATH_T 19 PR 19 PR 19 PR
19 TNM_PATH_N 20 HER2 20 HER2 20 HER2
20 TNM_PATH_M 21 H Pylori 21 H Pylori 21 H Pylori
21 TNM_PATH_STAGE_GROUP 22 Lauren Classification 22 Lauren Classification 22 Lauren Classification
22 AJCC TEXT 23 Ca125 23 Ca125 23 Ca125
  FIRST COURSE OF TREATMENT 24 Ca125 (Actual Value) 24 Ca125 (Actual Value) 24 Ca125 (Actual Value)
23 Surgery 25 PSA 25 PSA 25 PSA
24 Radiation 26 AFP 26 AFP 26 AFP
25 Chemotherapy 27 AFP (Actual Value) 27 AFP (Actual Value) 27 AFP (Actual Value)
26 Hormonal Therapy 28 CEA 28 CEA 28 CEA
27 Immunotherapy 29 CEA (Actual Value) 29 CEA (Actual Value) 29 CEA (Actual Value)
28 Hematologic Transplant/Endocrine 30 MSI 30 MSI 30 MSI
29 Other Therapy 31 KRAS 31 KRAS 31 KRAS
30 Palliative Therapy   STAGE OF DISEASE AT DIAGNOSIS 32 Tumour Size (Breast Only) 32 Tumour Size (Breast Only)
  OUTCOMES & CASE ADMINSTRATION 32 TNM_CLIN_T 33 No of Positive Lymph Node(Breast Only) 33 No of Positive Lymph Node(Breast Only)
32 Vital Status 33 TNM_CLIN_N 34 No of Lymph Node Examined  (Breast Only) 34 No of Lymph Node Examined  (Breast Only)
33 Cancer Status 34 TNM_CLIN_M   STAGE OF DISEASE AT DIAGNOSIS   STAGE OF DISEASE AT DIAGNOSIS
34 Cause of death 35 TNM_CLIN_STAGE_GROUP 35 TNM_CLIN_T 35 TNM_CLIN_T
35 Death Status 36 TNM_PATH_T 36 TNM_CLIN_N 36 TNM_CLIN_N
36 Recurrence Date 1st 37 TNM_PATH_N 37 TNM_CLIN_M 37 TNM_CLIN_M
37 Abstracted date 38 TNM_PATH_M 38 TNM_CLIN_STAGE_GROUP 38 TNM_CLIN_STAGE_GROUP
  39 TNM_PATH_STAGE_GROUP 39 TNM_PATH_T 39 TNM_PATH_T
40 AJCC TEXT 40 TNM_PATH_N 40 TNM_PATH_N
  FIRST COURSE OF TREATMENT 41 TNM_PATH_M 41 TNM_PATH_M
41 Surgery 42 TNM_PATH_STAGE_GROUP 42 TNM_PATH_STAGE_GROUP
42 Date of Surgery 43 AJCC TEXT 43 AJCC TEXT
43 Surgical Procedure of Primary Site   FIRST COURSE OF TREATMENT   FIRST COURSE OF TREATMENT
44 Surgical Margin of Primary Site 44 Surgery 44 No Treatment
45 Scope of Regional Lymph Node Surgery 45 Date of Surgery 45 Surgery
46 Surgical Procedure Other Site 46 Surgical Procedure of Primary Site 46 Date of Surgery
47 Location 47 Surgical Margin of Primary Site 47 Surgical Procedure of Primary Site
48 Radiation 48 Scope of Regional Lymph Node Surgery 48 Surgical Margin of Primary Site
49 Date of Radiation Therapy 49 Surgical Procedure Other Site 49 Scope of Regional Lymph Node Surgery
50 Date of Radiation Therapy Ended 50 Location 50 Surgical Procedure Other Site
51 Radiation Treatment Volume 51 Radiation 51 Date of Surgical Discharge
52 Location 52 Date of Radiation Therapy 52 Readmission to the same hospital within 30 days Surgical Dispatch
53 Chemotherapy 53 Date of Radiation Therapy Ended 53 Location
54 Date of Chemotherapy 54 Radiation Treatment Volume 54 Radiation
55 Date of Chemotherapy Ended 55 Location 55 Date of Radiation Therapy
56 Drug Name 56 Chemotherapy 56 Date of Radiation Therapy Ended
57 Number of Cycle 57 Date of Chemotherapy 57 Radiation Treatment Volume
58 Location 58 Date of Chemotherapy Ended 58 Location
59 Hormonal Therapy 59 Drug Name 59 Chemotherapy
60 Date of Hormonal Therapy 60 Number of Cycle 60 Date of Chemotherapy
61 Date of Hormonal Therapy Ended 61 Location 61 Date of Chemotherapy Ended
62 Drug Name 62 Hormonal Therapy 62 Drug Name
63 Location 63 Date of Hormonal Therapy 63 Number of Cycle
64 Immunotherapy 64 Date of Hormonal Therapy Ended 64 Location
65 Date of Immunotherapy 65 Drug Name 65 Hormonal Therapy
66 Date of Immunotherapy Ended 66 Location 66 Date of Hormonal Therapy
67 Drug Name 67 Immunotherapy 67 Date of Hormonal Therapy Ended
68 Location 68 Date of Immunotherapy 68 Drug Name
69 Hematologic Transplant/Endocrine 69 Date of Immunotherapy Ended 69 Location
70 Date of Hematologic Transplant/Endocrine 70 Drug Name 70 Immunotherapy
71 Location 71 Location 71 Date of Immunotherapy
72 Other Therapy 72 Hematologic Transplant/Endocrine 72 Date of Immunotherapy Ended
73 Date of Other Therapy 73 Date of Hematologic Transplant/Endocrine 73 Drug Name
74 Type of Other Therapy 74 Location 74 Location
75 Location 75 Other Therapy 75 Hematologic Transplant/Endocrine
76 Palliative Therapy 76 Date of Other Therapy 76 Date of Hematologic Transplant/Endocrine
77 Date of Palliative Therapy 77 Type of Other Therapy 77 Location
78 Location 78 Location 78 Other Therapy
  OUTCOMES & CASE ADMINSTRATION 79 Palliative Therapy 79 Date of Other Therapy
79 Date of Last Contact 80 Date of Palliative Therapy 80 Type of Other Therapy
80 Vital Status 81 Location 81 Location
81 Cancer Status 82 Active Surveillance/Watchful Waiting (Prostate Only) 82 Palliative Therapy
82 Cause of death 83 Date of Active Surveillance/Watchful Waiting (Prostate Only) 83 Date of Palliative Therapy
83 Death Status 84 Location of Active Surveillance (Prostate Only) 84 Location
84 Recurrence Date 1st   OUTCOMES & CASE ADMINSTRATION 85 Active Surveillance/Watchful Waiting (Prostate Only)
85 Recurrence Type 85 Date of Last Contact 86 Date of Active Surveillance/Watchful Waiting (Prostate Only)
86 Abstracted date 86 Vital Status 87 Location of Active Surveillance (Prostate Only)
  87 Cancer Status   OUTCOMES & CASE ADMINSTRATION
88 Cause of death 88 Date of Last Contact
89 Death Status 89 Vital Status
90 Recurrence Date 1st 90 Cancer Status
91 Recurrence Type 91 Cause of death
92 Abstracted date 92 Death Status
  93 Place of death
94 Recurrence Date 1st
95 Recurrence Type
96 Hospital/Clinic for Follow-up
97 Treatment Status
98 Abstracted date
Data request from the Hospital-based Cancer Registry

Posted date: 10 August 2016

AIO: Academic Informatics Office, NUH
NRDO: National Registry of Diseases Office (NRDO) of Singapore

Forms required

  1. Data extraction request (Non Research)
  2. Research Form - Application for NUH Medical Records/Data/System Access
Publications Resulting from Research on Samples from TR

Posted date: 30 January 2018

2017

  1. Tan KML, Tay SP, Chua HW, Sufyan Bin Masroni M, Tucker S, Koay ES, Leong SM (2017). Improved Discrimination of Patients with Breast Cancer from Healthy Controls Using Paper-Based microRNA Expression Profiling of Plasma, Following Precipitation. Clin Chem 2017 Dec, 63(12), 1899-1901. doi: 10.1373/clinchem.2017.276360.

  2. Sun H, Lin DC, Cao Q, Pang B, Gae DD, Lee VK, Lim HJ, Doan N, Said JW, Gery S, Chow M, Mayakonda A, Forscher C, Tyner JW, Koeffler HP (2017). Identification of a Novel SYK/c-MYC/MALAT1 Signaling Pathway and Its Potential Therapeutic Value in Ewing Sarcoma. Clin Cancer Res, doi: 10.1158/1078- 0432.CCR-16-2185.

  3. Leong SM, Tan KML, Chua HW, Huang MC, Cheong WC, Tucker S, Li MH, Koay ES (2017). Paper-based microRNA expression profiling of plasma and circulating tumor cells. Clin Chem, 63(3), 731-741.

Download the complete list of publications here.

ISBER Proficiency Testing (PT) Program (2016)

Posted date: 17 March 2017

NUH Tissue Repository’s (TR) ISBER (International Society for Biological and Environmental Repositories) Bio-specimen Proficiency Testing (PT) Program results for 2016 are out!

Click here to read more!
International Society of Biological and Environmental Repositories (ISBER) Regional Meeting at Bethesda, Maryland, USA, November 2016

Posted date: 7 December 2016

TR presented a poster on the “Freezer farm HVAC failure. A case study on remedy action” (Tan TW and Eng CB).

Click here to read more!
European, Middle Easter & African Society for Biopreservation & Biobanking (ESBB) meeting at Vienna, Austria, September 2016

Posted date: 7 December 2016

TR presented a poster on the “Cost Analysis between Cryogenic and Mechanical Freezer in Biobanking, a Case Study from Singapore” (Chow CP; Sam LS; Chong MS; Cheng YH and Eng CB).

For more details, click here.
TR presents at the annual ISBER meeting at Berlin, Germany, April 2016

Posted date: 7 December 2016

TR presented a poster on the “The Evolution of Specimen Processing from Manual to Full Automation” (Chow CP; Sam LS; Chong MS; Cheng YH; Xu LL; Hor AP and Eng CB).

For more details, click here.
Supported Research Projects

Posted date: 11 December 2017

Requester
Project Title
Lim Si Jing Joline RNA Editing in Breast Cancer-role in carcinogenesis and clinical implications
Evelyn Koay Siew-Chuan Development of a Novel, Non-invasive Serum MicroRNA test for Detection of Gastric Cancer in a High Risk Population (Gamina)
Chen Kok Hao Development of transcriptome imaging technology for cellular mapping of tumor microenviroment
Phillip Koeffler Functional study of novel genetic abnormalities in glioblastoma
Lee Soo Chin YAP and Its Target Expression Study in TNBC Tissue Samples at RNA and Protein Level
Evelyn Koay Siew-Chuan mSMRT-qPCR Platform for miRNA-based Molecular & Companion Diagnostics In Serum
Zhang Yongliang Tumour suppressive mechanisms of DUSP10 in colorectal cancer
Barry Halliwell Fluctuations in ergothioneine levels in thyroid cancer
Cheong Wai Kit Development of Non-invasive Serum MicroRNA Test for Detection of Colorectal Cancer
Phillip Koeffler Study Genomic Alterations in Lipomas

To read more, click here
CTR Ceritified for Hospital-based Cancer Registry (HCR) Staff - Dr Khin Zarchi Aung

Posted date: 5 December 2016

Congratulation to Dr Khin Zarchi Aung for passing her CTR examination in November 2016.

As a Senior Cancer Registrar, she is now a Certified Tumor Registrar (CTR) awarded by  US National Cancer Registrars Association.

For further information: www.ctrexam.org. For more on the Hospital-based Cancer Registry: NUH HCR
Tissue Banking in Singapore - An Evolving Enterprise

Posted date: 18 March 2016

Tissue Banking In Singapore - An Evolving Enterprise, by Dr. Chan Tuck Wai.

Read the featured article. (Original article posted in "Vol 20, No 02, Febuary 2016 - Biomedical Research Governance")

TR Letter of Willingness

Posted date: 24 April 2013

With immediate effect, TR would now issue a Letter of Willingness to PIs planning to use TR bio-materials/services for their research projects/study.

The Letter of Willingness, issued after prior consultation with PI, would ensure that PIs are aware of the quantity/quality and the type of biomaterials they could expect to receive from TR for their project/study. This letter would help PIs in better designing of their project/study keeping the TR numbers/type of bio-materials in mind. This would also help PIs in efficient planning of their bio-banking budget and in exploring alternate sources, if necessary, beforehand when bio-material is not available, or is in short supply in TR.

Henceforth, All PIs, planning to use TR biomaterials/services, would be required to submit this Letter of Willingness to NUS-IRB while submitting their project/study protocols for necessary IRB approvals.

For TR Letter of Willingness you may contact, Eng Chon Boon(chon_boon_eng@nuhs.edu.sg)

Collaboration between Cardio-vascular Tissue Bank (CTVS) and TR
The Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery (CTVS), in collaboration with the TR, jointly set up the cardio-vascular tissue bank. The cardio-vascular tissue bank is expected to bank 400-500 cases a year.
TR receives IRB Approval to collect blood & other biomaterials from cancer patients at NUH

NUH Tissue Repository has recently been granted IRB approval to collect blood and other biomaterials like bone marrow, body fluids, hair, nail, saliva etc from patients at NUH.

To start with, TR would be collecting blood from cancer patients who are being selected for tissue collection and banking at TR. The blood would be collected during the patient's operative procedure in OT by the duty anaesthetist. The blood, so collected, would be frozen down into it's components viz plasma, serum, buffy coat and a part for cell immortalization purposes.TR envisages to collect around 200 to 300 blood samples from cancer patients/year.

With implementation of this service in August 2010, TR would thus, be able to provide blood and blood components, in addition to tissues, from cancer patients to biomedical researchers across Singapore.

With this IRB approval TR can now also help PI's consent, collect and store all kinds of biomaterials, such as those mentioned above, for their studies.
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Contact Us
Dr Eng Chon Boon
Head
Tel: 6772 2379
chon_boon_eng@nuhs.edu.sg
 
Ms Tan Wei Ling
Senior Manager
Tel: 6772 2215
wei_ling_tan@nuhs.edu.sg