We provide full-service biobanking to CTRI and affiliated institutions. We encourage all forms of collaboration such as:

• ACTRI biosamples (such as non-disease cohorts) and protocol
  1. ACTRI provides existing clinical material from the repository
  2. ACTRI prospectively collects and provides liquid or tissue clinical material for investigators
• Investigator’s IRB protocol
  1. ACTRI collects samples for investigator and gives them to the PI for storage
  2. ACTRI collects samples for investigator and stores samples for the PI
  3. The investigator collects the samples and the ACTRI stores them
• ACTRI Affiliated Biorepository protocol
  1. ACTRI facilitates connecting the investigator with the manager of an Affiliated Biorepository (e.g., Arthritis Biorepository)
  2. ACTRI can manage the Affiliated Biorepository and release the material under the PI's direction

 The TRT facilities include:

• Secure storage of biospecimens in late model, remotely monitored mechanical and liquid nitrogen freezers
• Coordination of collection and processing of biospecimens from the clinic to the Biobanks
• Complete inventory control utilizing modern LIMS software
• Bar-coding
• Emergency response
• Real-time reports on freezer temperatures
• Regulated access to all archived material
• Several software systems are available for managing the repository databases

Additional TRT services:

• Process tissue and fluids, including DNA and RNA preparation, viable cells, frozen cells
• Ship and receive clinical materials
• Provide clinical informatics support, including Velos
• Provide pathology services
• Provide biomarker assay services (such as Mesoscale, ELISA, and qPCR)

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pendemic, the ACTRI took the lead to help UCSD develop an IRB approved comprehensive research biobank that is available for a myriad of research projects. This biobank was created by working with clinicians, patients and research teams to develop this institutional resource. A diverse governance committee assist with prioritizing projects and distributing samples in a transparent fashion based on scientific merit, feasibility and novelty. Should samples leave UCSD, additional project information and MTA will be required. 

Collections samples include plasma, serum and buffy coat from participants being tested for COVID-19 and remnant nasal swab samples. Virus status associated with samples is known.

COVID-19 Biobank Sample Request form