NCRI Cancer Biosample Directory

Search biosample collections

This directory provides a route for cancer researchers to find the samples they need for their research. The aim is for the majority of cancer biosample collections in the UK to be included in the directory.

The directory can be searched for cancer biosamples held in both biobank and clinical trial collections in the UK. Information is included about how access may be possible and how to contact custodians.

Collections are listed below and may be filtered based on name or tissue type. An advanced search is also available.

Biobanks

Name ▲	Access status
Arden Tissue Bank Tissue types: Lung / Respiratory / Thoracic, Other	Open to applicants
Breakthrough Generations Study Tissue types: Breast	Open only through collaboration
Breast Cancer Tissue types: Breast	Open to applicants
Breast cancer AC DNA collection Tissue types: Breast	Other
Breast Cancer Campaign Tissue Bank Tissue types: Breast	Open to applicants
CamUro-Onc Biorepository Tissue types: Genitourinary	Open only through collaboration
Central England Haemato-oncology Research Biobank Tissue types: Haematologic/Blood (Lymphoma), Haematologic/Blood (Leukemia)	Open to applicants
Childhood Leukaemia Tissue types: Haematologic/Blood (Leukemia)	Open to applicants
Children's Cancer and Leukaemia Group (CCLG) Tissue Bank Tissue types: Brain, Digestive / Gastrointestinal, Eye, Genitourinary, Germ Cell, Haematologic/Blood (Lymphoma), Musculoskeletal	Open to applicants
Colorectal Cancer Tissue types: Other	Open to applicants
Exeter Operative Tissue Bank Tissue types: Breast, Digestive / Gastrointestinal, Genitourinary	Other
Faculty of Medicine Tissue Bank University of Southampton Tissue types: Breast, Digestive / Gastrointestinal, Head & Neck, Haematologic/Blood (Lymphoma), Haematologic/Blood (Leukemia), Lung / Respiratory / Thoracic, Skin	Open to applicants
Fanconi Anaemia Tissue types: Haematologic/Blood (Leukemia)	Open to applicants
Guy's & St Thomas' Research Tissue & Data Bank Tissue types: Breast, Digestive / Gastrointestinal, Head & Neck, Lung / Respiratory / Thoracic	Open to applicants
Haematological Malignancies Bank Tissue types: Haematologic/Blood (Lymphoma), Haematologic/Blood (Leukemia)	Open only through collaboration
Human Tissue Research Bank Tissue types: Brain, Breast, Digestive / Gastrointestinal, Endocrine, Genitourinary, Germ Cell, Gynaecologic, Head & Neck, Musculoskeletal, Skin	Open to applicants
Imperial College Healthcare Tissue Bank Tissue types: Brain, Breast, Digestive / Gastrointestinal, Endocrine, Genitourinary, Gynaecologic, Head & Neck, Lung / Respiratory / Thoracic, Musculoskeletal, Skin	Open to applicants
KCL Haemato-Oncology Tissue Bank Tissue types: Haematologic/Blood (Lymphoma), Haematologic/Blood (Leukemia)	Open to applicants
Leeds University GIFT Research Tissue Bank Tissue types: Bone, Brain, Digestive / Gastrointestinal, Endocrine, Eye, Genitourinary, Gynaecologic, Head & Neck, Haematologic/Blood (Lymphoma), Lung / Respiratory / Thoracic, Musculoskeletal, Skin	Open to applicants
Liverpool Tissue Bank Tissue types: Breast, Digestive / Gastrointestinal, Eye, Genitourinary, Gynaecologic, Head & Neck, Musculoskeletal	Open to applicants
LLR Childhood Leukaemia Cell Bank Tissue types: Haematologic/Blood (Leukemia)	Other
Manchester BRC Biobank Tissue types: Digestive / Gastrointestinal, Endocrine, Genitourinary, Gynaecologic, Head & Neck	Open to applicants
Manchester Cancer Research Centre Biobank Tissue types: Brain, Breast, Digestive / Gastrointestinal, Endocrine, Genitourinary, Gynaecologic, Head & Neck, Haematologic/Blood (Lymphoma), Haematologic/Blood (Leukemia), Lung / Respiratory / Thoracic, Skin	Open to applicants
MesobanK Tissue types: Lung / Respiratory / Thoracic	Other
Newcastle Gateshead Ovarian Collection Tissue types: Gynaecologic	Open only through collaboration
Newcastle Haematology Biobank Tissue types: Haematologic/Blood (Lymphoma), Haematologic/Blood (Leukemia)	Open to applicants
Northern Ireland Biobank (NIB) Tissue types: Breast, Digestive / Gastrointestinal, Genitourinary, Gynaecologic	Open to applicants
Nottingham Health Science Biobank NHSB Tissue types: Brain, Breast, Digestive / Gastrointestinal, Head & Neck, Haematologic/Blood (Lymphoma), Lung / Respiratory / Thoracic, Musculoskeletal, Other	Open to applicants
Royal Free and UCL BioBank Tissue types: Haematologic/Blood (Lymphoma), Haematologic/Blood (Leukemia)	Open only through collaboration
SUN Study Tissue types: Genitourinary	Open only through collaboration
Tayside Tissue Bank (TTB) Tissue types: Breast, Digestive / Gastrointestinal, Endocrine, Genitourinary, Gynaecologic, Head & Neck, Skin	Open to applicants
The Causes of Clonal Blood Cell Disorders Tissue types: Haematologic/Blood (Leukemia)	Open only through collaboration
UCL IoN Brain Tumour Bank Tissue types: Brain	Open only through collaboration
UK Prostate Cancer Sample Collection Database Tissue types: Genitourinary	Open only through collaboration
University of Leicester Repository Tissue types: Digestive / Gastrointestinal, Haematologic/Blood (Lymphoma), Haematologic/Blood (Leukemia), Lung / Respiratory / Thoracic	Open in response to specific calls
Wales Cancer Bank Tissue types: Breast, Digestive / Gastrointestinal, Endocrine, Genitourinary, Gynaecologic, Head & Neck, Lung / Respiratory / Thoracic	Open to applicants

Clinical trials

Name ▲	Access status
6MP-BRCA Tissue types: Breast, Gynaecologic	Access restricted at present
ABC Tissue types: Breast	Open to applicants
ABC-03 Sample Collection Tissue types: Digestive / Gastrointestinal	Closed to access
A-PREDICT sample collection Tissue types: Genitourinary	Access restricted at present
CASPS Tissue types: Musculoskeletal	Access restricted at present
EnROL Trial Samples Tissue types: Digestive / Gastrointestinal	Access restricted at present
ESPAC Tissue types: Digestive / Gastrointestinal	Open to applicants
FOLFERA translational sub-study Tissue types: Digestive / Gastrointestinal	Other
HOPON blood samples Tissue types: Head & Neck	Access restricted at present
HYMN-T Tissue types:	Access restricted at present
IRIS Tissue types: Breast	Access restricted at present
Liverpool ECMC TeloVac Biobank Tissue types: Digestive / Gastrointestinal	Access restricted at present
MDSBio Tissue types: Haematologic/Blood (Leukemia)	Open to applicants
Newcastle Paediatric Clinical Pharmacology Trials Tissue types:	Open only through collaboration
NICAM Study Tissue types: Skin	Closed to access
PACIFICO Tissue types: Haematologic/Blood (Lymphoma)	Access restricted at present
PanGen Tissue types: Digestive / Gastrointestinal	Open only through collaboration
POETIC Trial Tissue types: Breast	Closed to access
PT1 Tissue types: Haematologic/Blood (Leukemia)	Open only through collaboration
REACT - Pathology Sub-Study Tissue types: Breast	Closed to access
reSEARCH -the LungSEARCH Trial Sample Collection Tissue types: Lung / Respiratory / Thoracic	Closed to access
SCALOP Translational Sub-Study Tissue types: Digestive / Gastrointestinal	Open to applicants
TACT Tissue types: Breast	Open to applicants
T-FRAG Tissue types: Lung / Respiratory / Thoracic	Open to applicants
TNT Tissue types: Breast	Access restricted at present
TOPARP Tissue types: Genitourinary	Closed to access
TRANS-ITEM Tissue types: Eye	Access restricted at present
TRANS-SUAVE Tissue types: Eye	Access restricted at present
Trans-TACT2 Tissue types: Breast	Closed to access
UK CLL Trials Biobank Tissue types: Haematologic/Blood (Leukemia)	Open to applicants
UK FOCSS Samples Collection (serum, plasma, DNA) Tissue types: Gynaecologic	Open only through collaboration
VORTEX-BIOBANK Tissue types: Musculoskeletal	Access restricted at present