Organization
The TTR is a provincial program that currently comprises an active biobank that is based accrual center in the BC Cancer Agency Vancouver Island Center, Victoria. The TTR is connected to the University of British Columbia’s Office of Biobank Education and Research (OBER) and hosts the coordination center for the Canadian Tissue Repository Network (CTRNet), and together these components make up the Biobanking and Biospecimen Research Services (BBRS) research infrastructure unit. The BBRS provides access to the TTR inventory of banked biospecimens and prospective custom collection services for specific research projects as well as all our other resources for researchers.
Oversight
The TTR operates under the management and oversight of the director, a management board, and the UBC BCCA Research Ethics board. The TTR operates within organizational policies and a commitment to protection of donor privacy that is embodied in all standard operating procedures and aspects of the repository. The TTR is also a founding member and contributor to the development of the CTRNet, which is a national association of tumour banks that promotes national policies and standards for tumour banking.
Funding
Current and previous funding support for the TTR has come from the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA), the BC Cancer Agency, the BC Cancer Foundation, the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research, AstraZeneca Canada Inc, Perceptronix, and the Western Economic Development Agency, as well as user fees from researchers. The TTR also operates with substantial and critical logistic support from the Departments of Pathology and Surgery, Vancouver Island Health Authority.
Contact us:
Email: bbrs@biobanking.org
Tel: 250-519-5700
Toll-free: 866-898-0887