1. Enabling Biobank Data Exchange
The Challenges of Data Integration and Advantages of Virtualizing a Centralized Technology Solutions Platform
Dr Balwir Matharoo-Ball – Deputy Director Nottingham Health Science Biobank
Colin Thurston - Director of Informatics

2. Agenda Problem Statement: Supply and demand of biological samples
Nottingham Health Science Biobank (NHSB) Case Study
Technology Solutions to enable a sample market place
Brooks ISIDOR Platform for Biobanks
Conclusions / Q&A

3. Nottingham Health Science Biobank (NHSB)
Start
Established in 2011
Hub and Spoke model of biobanking that includes and synergises existing facilities in NUH and other key research environments
Ethical approval
Trust wide ethical approval for generic and enduring donor consent
Allows the collection of any biomaterial taken in the course of routine care which is excess to routine care
Collec-tion
The NHSB collects a wide range of biomaterials including: fresh tissue, snap-frozen tissues, Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues (FFPEs), blood (serum and plasma)
Has access to over 1 million archived FFPE samples from all disease types including rare diseases
Storage
The NHSB uses state of the art systems for biomaterial storage and tracking, temperature monitoring and sample processing, and has worked closely with Achiever Medical to develop a sophisticated centralised computer-based system of biosample linked-data procurement and management
Distribu-
tion
Rapid approval for distributing material to approved research projects
Material distributed to internal research groups, national charities such as the Breast Cancer Campaign, and commercial organisations

4. Statement of the Problem
The trend in personalised medicine is increasing demand for samples, especially the right kind of sample.
Biobanks should be thriving in their pivotal role to provide researchers access to samples from a large population of subjects
Question: Why do so many biobanks struggle with sustainability?
Biobanks play a significant role in delivering healthcare innovation by providing researchers access to data and samples from a large population of people. Researchers need access to unique sample sets from specific subject population groups in order to identify genetic traits that can be used to diagnose disease and predict drug response.
The trend towards personalized medicine means that the amount of data linked to the physical sample is increasing and the information required by researchers to pinpoint samples of interest is growing more disparate and complex.
There is a need for a centralized technology platform to support data integration and virtual sample data access to enable researchers to securely and efficiently access sample and data assets.
Researchers and institutions realize that efficiencies can be gained by accessing multiple data sets and inventory collections to identify biological samples and subjects of interest. This is driving the emergence of federated biobanking catalogues and virtual biobanking solutions.

5. The Changing Market
A number of factors are increasing the demand for human tissue…
Non-commercial academic research
Drug Discovery and Development
Human tissue rather than animal testing
BIOBANKS
Biomarker Discovery
Stratified Medicine

6. The Changing Market
Developments in personalised medicine and translational research require high quality and clinically annotated human tissue…
Translational
Biomarker Discovery
Stratified Medicine
Advances in molecular technology linked to clinical phenotype enable personalised medicine
High
Throughput
technologies for biomarker discovery require rigorously designed and well structured collections of biospecimens
Research to translate basic research more quickly and efficiently into medical practice

7. Biobanks are key resource
Biobanking infrastructure has a critical impact on the discovery, impact and implementation of new drugs, diagnostic tests, and personalized therapy
Can be directed at specific medical conditions OR as general collections
Biospecimens must be linked to high quality clinical data informative of phenotype
It is essential to harmonise biobanking procedures and to develop innovative solutions supporting biobanking interoperability and specimen sharing
Major goal is to contribute toward efficiencies in research.

8. The Changing Market The market is relatively undeveloped…
Prices vary considerably – for example there is a fivefold difference in the price of breast cancer samples
Many biobanks appear to collect tissue for the sake of collecting and distribution is not a key part of their strategies
Many biobanks do not want to deal with commercial companies
Commercial organisations recognise the quality of NHS sources of bio- medical material
Well annotated data sets, including follow-up data, is in demand
Based on research from PA Consulting

9. Nottingham University Hospital Case Study
Nottingham University Hospital NHS Trust (NUH) is one of the largest acute teaching NHS Trusts in the UK.
NUH set up the Nottingham Health Science Biobank (NHSB) as a large scale biobank holding high quality tissues to support pioneering research.
Key goals for the program were:
An IT solution linking clinical data to phenotypes
Implementation of biobanking best practices
Ensuring HTA compliance
Increased research efficiency

10. NHSB Competitive Position
NHSB has developed a number of unique selling points…
Embedded in the NHS
Access to histopathology services and equipment
Major operational advantage
Service Orientated
Operations team have research, pathology and clinical expertise
Quality of samples and data
Public Patient Involvement (PPI)
Embeds the patient perspective and experience at the core of biobanking
Access to plentiful & rare biomaterials
NUH is a Regional referral centre
Rapid approval via NHSB Access Committee
Innovative Informatics
Innovation in informatics captures resources of the NHS
e-Health record as a Biobanking resource
Biobank management system with external research access

11. Current progress
NHSB has now centralised the collection of biomedical material…
Existing collections have been transferred to the NHSB, which include
14,901 samples from legacy collections
during 2004 to 20012
An extensive breast tissue collection of
over 5,500 fresh frozen samples
The brain bank containing material from 7308 patients collected over 20 years including dementia and
motor neurone cases.
The NHSB has access to the Histopathology archives of surplus diagnostic blocks of over 85,000 cases per year.
NUH is one of the top 10 largest trusts in England and provides services to over 2.5 million residents of Nottingham and its surrounding communities
It also provides specialist services to a further 3-4 million people from neighbouring counties each year.

12. Current progress
NHSB is rapidly accumulating a diverse and high-value sample set…
Since 2011 Total patient consents = 23600
Total sample aliquots =

13. Current progress
NHSB has already released over 120,000 samples, making it a leading UK biobank…
NHSB has distributed over 60,000 samples in the last four years
Customers include internal and external research groups , Breast Cancer Now and leading pharmaceutical companies
NHSB is already one of the largest biobanks in the United Kingdom.

14. Innovative Informatics -Our Solution to Partnership Data Management – Moving Beyond the Firewall
Our dynamic research database solution is readily transferable to other organisations to create a national information model which aligns the resources of the NHS with research in a unique manner.

15. Brooks Life Sciences Systems
The global leader of comprehensive sample lifecycle management solutions which unlock the sample intelligence that advances scientific discovery and development.
Storage Consumables and Instruments
Sample Management Solutions
Sample Prep, Genomics & Lab Analytics
Automated Storage Systems
Cryopreservation Storage Solutions
Cold Chain Logistics & Relocation
Informatics Solutions

16. Technology Solutions for Sustainability
The trend in personalized medicine is increasing demand for samples, especially the right kind of sample.
Biobanks should be thriving in their pivotal role to provide researchers access to samples from a large population of subjects
Question: Why do so many biobanks struggle with sustainability?
Hypothesis: Biobanks need technology platforms to facilitate access to samples and cost recovery
Biobanks play a significant role in delivering healthcare innovation by providing researchers access to data and samples from a large population of people. Researchers need access to unique sample sets from specific subject population groups in order to identify genetic traits that can be used to diagnose disease and predict drug response.
The trend towards personalized medicine means that the amount of data linked to the physical sample is increasing and the information required by researchers to pinpoint samples of interest is growing more disparate and complex.
There is a need for a centralized technology platform to support data integration and virtual sample data access to enable researchers to securely and efficiently access sample and data assets.
Researchers and institutions realize that efficiencies can be gained by accessing multiple data sets and inventory collections to identify biological samples and subjects of interest. This is driving the emergence of federated biobanking catalogues and virtual biobanking solutions.

17. Connecting Samples to Data unlocks their Potential Value
Diagnosis
Treatment
Genetics
$10-20
Cost of tube = ~$1
Cost of collection = $8
Cost of storage = $3
Material Cost
of a sample
Stored and processed correctly?
Patient consented for research?
Specific tissue and disease?
Profiled phenotype and genotype?
++Value
Research Value
of a sample
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18. Example Biobanking Technology Platform
Find and request research materials
Consents to provide samples for research
Protect and manage anonymised samples
Collect clinical subject samples
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19. Biobanking Technology Platform Requirements
A biobanking platform must:
Simplify data access for researchers
Unify data terminology across different sources
Allow access to multiple collections within a single framework
Enable data mining using donor, study, phenotypical attributes
Facilitate research applications and cost recovery
Work in close to real time
Connect Inventory and Data and Facilitate Access to Samples
“Virtual Biobank eCatalogue” ‘
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20. Brooks ISIDOR Platform for Biobanks
NHSB has successfully implemented an informatics solution using the core technology from Brooks ISIDOR, specifically BioStudies which provides:
Support for project, study management and inventory management
Sample collection, through manifesting, receipt, storage and disposal workflow
Integration of a variety of data types – clinical, phenotypical and laboratory data
Management of patient consent records
Research sample request portal with end-to-end fulfilment
Comprehensive support for automation of storage, bioprocessing and bio-analysis
Integration of BioInsight technology enables further value and delivers a full featured “virtual biobanking” platform
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21. Brooks BioStudies – Technology Overview
Software to support tissue tracking in clinical and academic environments
Clinical projects and studies
Donor information including demographic and clinical information
Sophisticated consent management features
Tissue collection and storage
Robust security and compliance features
Virtual Biobank / eCatalog & Storefront
Aggregation of sample data numerous sources
Central warehouse
Storefront for search , request, sharing
Web based with on-premise and hosted deployment options
Solution deployed in multiple hospitals and universities
Fast Track Implementations
Data migration
Comprehensive Training
Validation Support
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22. Sample Lifecycle Management Support
Comprehensive
Sample Lifecycle Management Support
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23. Collaborator Institute view Storage / Inventory View
BioStudies – Home Page
Home page Summary
View
Sample View
Donor View
Collaborator Institute view
Planned Activities
Project View
Storage / Inventory View
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24. Brooks BioInsight – Technology Overview
Dashboarding, searching and data visualisation to extract true value from research data.
Visualize your data and make it interactive and actionable
Differentiate with BioConnect – talk about this as an enabling technology – case study discussion e.g. IU
Powered by
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25. BioInsight: Visualizing Tissue Availability for Research
Background: IU Simon Cancer Center (IUSCC) Tissue Procurement and Distribution Facility has the responsibility to collect and distribute biospecimens to support cancer research. As such, the IUSCC would like to make biospecimen data available to as widely as possible to the IU research community.
Problem solved: Enabling researchers to visualize the availability of specific subsets of samples and publicizing this within a shared database enables improved sample asset sharing across the research enterprise.
Before, data existed in many systems and in many formats and had to be manually discovered an assembled for each query
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26. © 2017 Brooks Automation, Inc. • Proprietary Information
Creating an integrated Virtual Biobank eCatalogue
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27. © 2017 Brooks Automation, Inc. • Proprietary Information
Enable researchers to find and apply for needed samples
I am looking for tissue from….
Female subject
Hispanic ethnicity
25 – 45 years old (at time of sample collection)
Has diabetes
Does not have cardiovascular disease
Informed consent allows sharing of samples
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28. © 2017 Brooks Automation, Inc. • Proprietary Information
The Business Case for Technology Investments
Simplifying access to samples ensure biobanks can demonstrate a return on investment:-
Facilitate connection of samples to data
Facilitate access to samples by researchers
Facilitates applications and fulfilment
Facilitates cost recover and monetization
= more samples provided to researchers
= increased number of cited publications
= monetization of biological assets
= sustainability
© 2017 Brooks Automation, Inc. • Proprietary Information

29. Conclusions

30. To meet these priorities NHSB will:
Strategic Approach
NHSB is aiming to meet Trust Research priorities…
Ensure an excellent environment for commercial and non-commercial research
Ensure strategic alignment of sample collections with areas of strength to maximise value
Develop dynamic ICT systems to add value and facilitate networking
Trust Research Priorities:
Created a biobank business unit dedicated to commercial partnership
To meet these priorities NHSB will:
Build close relationships with partner Universities and other key stakeholders
Link biosamples to anonymised and accurate patient data (via e-Health record)
Extend the Nottingham informatics platforms between research partners
Generate income from commercial operations for reinvestment

31. SUSTAINABILITY Rapid request response time
Quality in sample processing
Cost efficient processes
Anticipated that tissues will be made available for research into a wide number of diseases, thereby helping to improve patient care and treatments in the future.

32. Financial Planning
For 2014/15 NHSB already has enough firm contracts to cover direct costs and overheads, with potential for further income during the year…

33. Conclusions
Data standards are an important step in supporting the interconnectivity of sample data; however, they must be distinct and evolve over time.
Technology solutions are required that go beyond simple sample management:-
Connect diverse sample collections and data sets
Enable samples to be connected to clinical, phenotypic and laboratory data
Provide research access portals, data visualisation and application fulfilment
Virtual biobanking catalogues allow researchers to more easily locate biobank samples which drive biobanking sustainability