Using Single Use Tubes In A Biorepository

Many hospitals and research institutes are building up large collections of biological samples, together with associated medical and life style data, as a resource for biochemical research. Typically the objective is to better understand the causes of disease and treatment response.

Many of these biorepositories carry on collecting data from participants over a long time period and so the value of a stored sample becomes greater over time. For many biorepositories long term, secure sample storage is of absolute importance, with expectations of 25+ years storage not uncommon.

Recent data has shown the importance of minimizing freeze-thaw cycles on samples and many biobanks are now adopting single use tubes to ensure sample quality is maintained throughout the sample life. This application note discusses these issues, highlights the Brooks REMP single use tube system and shows the example of the sample flow being used at the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden, for Blood Serum, Urine and Plasma.