Biorepository
The Institutional Biorepository operated at Stanley Manne Children’s Research Institute and Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago provides the infrastructure for collecting, processing, storing, and releasing biological specimens and data used for approved research studies to researchers at Lurie Children’s and their community partners. All services provided are consistent with applicable laws and accepted biobanking best practices.
Biorepository Staff
Members of the management team are highly motivated and well-trained life sciences experts, clinical researchers, and medical professionals. They are certified by the American Society for Clinical Pathology.
- Galina Khramtsova, MD, PhD, Director
- Nicoleta Arva, MD, PhD, Pathologist
- Traci Baptiste-Merkin, MAFM, MT, Manager, Specimen Processing
- Andrey Grebenik, MS, MBA, Data Manager
- James Bellis, MS, PA, Pathologists Assistant
- Alondra Sanchez, BS, Research Technologist II
- Su Rin Choi, MSPH, CCRP, Clinical Research Coordinator III
- Poulette Garcia Avila, BS, Clinical Research Coordinator III
Hours and Locations
We are located on the 3rd and 10th floors in the Louis A. Simpson and Kimberly K. Querrey Biomedical Research Center and on the 8th floor in Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago.
Visit our SharePoint Site for additional information and updates.
The biorepository provides services in support of biospecimen collection, processing, storage, and distribution.
Standard Biorepository Services
- Consulting for samples collection and budgeting
- Supporting faculty who are preparing grant applications with a biorepository component
- Designing appropriate documentation
- Designing and assembling biological sample collection kits
- Processing specimens (tissue, serum, plasma, PBMC, body fluid, etc.)
- Annotating and performing quality control of collected specimens.
- Offering biorepository sample inventory management services.
- Offering long-term and short-term biorepository storage and quality control of samples at -80°C and -170°C
- Transferring, packaging, and distributing biorepository samples.
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Additional Research Services
- Pathologist slide review and report, QC of banked samples
- Tissue microarray design, construction, and biomarker analysis
- A digital image data repository
- Slides scanned at 20X or 40X
- Annotated region of interest
Services and benefits from the biorepository are accredited by the College of American Pathologist (CAP) Biorepository Accreditation Program. We also offer:
- Trained staff (ASCP certified)
- Accredited quality management system
- Access to a large pool of high-quality samples and associated data
- Samples transportation, processing, storage, and analysis performed according to standard methods
- 24/7 temperature monitoring system and alarms for LN2 and freezer
- Emergency backup freezers
- High-quality assurance and control of specimen placement: LIMS Freezerworks software track and log a sample's life cycle to ensure its quality has not been compromised
- High-quality pathology assessment of banked tissue
- High control of antigen quality of the banked tissue
Please acknowledge the biorepository in publications, grant applications, and presentations by using the following language:
"The authors acknowledge the Institutional Biorepository at Stanley Manne Children’s Research Institute affiliated with Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago for providing biospecimen storage, management, and distribution services in support of the research reported in this publication/grant application/presentation.”
Khramtsov A.I., Gulliver J., Arva N., Khramtsova G.F. Application of Natural Language Processing in the Current and Future Work in the Department of Pathology and Institutional Biorepository. PI-02. A-56. The International Society for Biological and Environmental Repositories Presents Abstracts from Its Annual Meeting. Biopreservation and Biobanking.
Khramtsov A., Rodriguez A., Bellis J., Holcomb J, Kersey D., Taylor J., Taborn G., Lucas C., Arva N., Khramtsova G.F. Teaching Tissue Microarray Technology and its Applications as a Quality Control Tool in Research and Diagnostics. The International Society for Biological and Environmental Repositories Presents Abstracts from Its Annual Meeting “Biobanking: Shaping the Scientific Journey” In‐Person: May 17–20, 2022 Atlanta, Georgia, USA Virtual: June 14–15, 2022. Biopreservation and Biobanking.
Khramtsova G.F, Ryba D., Falkiner R., Khramtsov A.I., Bellis J., Kersey D., Lucas C.L., Arva N., Perlman E.J., Haymond S. Implementing a Biorepository Quality Management System. The International Society for Biological and Environmental Repositories Presents Abstracts from Its 2021 Virtual Symposium In partnership with UHN Biospecimen Services October 4–5, 2021. Biopreservation and Biobanking.
