The University has developed its own human tissue biorepository, called the Human Biomaterials Resource Centre (HBRC), which has been in operation since 2010. The HBRC collects and stores quality-assured human tissue for use in biomedical research. It supports the specific needs of University research teams, but tissue can be used by other biomedical research groups, including those in the commercial sector. Donor anonymity to HBRC end users is a core part of this process.
The HBRC is much more than a tissue store: there is a significant demand for tissue ‘fresh’ from donation; the HBRC can also process tissue so it is ready for research. Tissue collection is tailored to suit the needs of scientific research along key research themes in the University – meaning that the centre has long been one of the first tissue banks to provide a very broad cross-section of tissue types. The use of tissue samples is always ethically approved, and approval can be through the HBRC’s own generic protocol, will saves researchers the time that they might normally spend on setting up and running their own approved studies. For further information, please see the HBRC’s mini-site, or contact us. The HBRC is part of the University of Birmingham’s Advanced Therapies Facility.
Related projects
There are many hospitals in the West Midlands serving a broad range of ethnic groups. The University therefore has access to tissue that could aid research into a variety of illnesses and conditions.
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