Access to Existing Samples

Withdrawals from an existing sample collection within Region Uppsala or Uppsala University must be approved by Uppsala Biobank's biobank manager and sample collection manager.

To gain access to existing samples, an approved application from the Ethical Review Authority is required (see www.etikprovning.se). The Ethical Review Authority determines whether a new informed consent is required.

Contact us at info@uppsalabiobank.uu.se for more information.

Withdrawals from Clinical Care Sample Collections

The most common withdrawals within Uppsala Biobank occur from existing clinical sample collections intended for care, diagnostics, and treatment (VDB), such as Clinical Pathology (KP).

You need to fill out form L1.1 Establishment of a sample collection for research, with accompanying attachments for existing clinical biobank samples in pathology and cytology (L1a) and/or attachments for existing clinical biobank samples fluid-based (L1b). Forms and instructions can be found under Guidance and Application. Make sure to download the latest version of the forms on Biobank Sweden's website.

More information about withdrawals from clinical pathology's care sample collection can be found on the pathologist's website. Inquiries about the choice of material, participating pathologist, etc., can be sent to the functional address: kpfouservice@akademiska.se

Withdrawals from Research Sample Collections

For withdrawals from an existing research sample collection (other than U-CAN) in Uppsala Biobank, contact the sample collection manager or contact person before the administrative process can begin. Contact us to learn more about the research sample collections available within Uppsala Biobank, as well as information about the sample collection manager/contact person for them.

Forms and more information on how to apply for samples from an existing research sample collection can be found under Guidance and Application.

Withdrawals from U-CAN

Material from U-CAN's sample collection is available to researchers and companies after approval by Uppsala Biobank and U-CAN's diagnostic group. Read more under U-CAN's instructions on how to proceed.

Selection of Samples from Uppsala Biobank

To gain access to existing samples in a collection stored at Uppsala Biobank, a selection must be made.

After approval from the Ethical Review Authority, the biobank manager, and the sample collection manager, work begins to create picklists for each selection.

Data needed to generate picklists often includes personal identification numbers, sampling dates, sample types, and sample volumes. Sensitive data is sent encrypted via CryptShare to and from Uppsala Biobank.

Generating a final picklist can be a time-consuming process involving a lot of communication between the requester and Uppsala Biobank. A final picklist can take up to two weeks to complete. Please keep this in mind when making a selection. The physical picking of samples then takes about two weeks, depending on the size of the selection. Therefore, the total time usually amounts to around four weeks.

Contact us at info@uppsalabiobank.uu.se if you want to make a selection from Uppsala Biobank.

Companies - Access to Samples

Companies can gain access to biobank samples for purposes such as method development if certain criteria are met. However, providing a general answer on how to proceed is challenging as it depends on several factors. Contact us for guidance via info@uppsalabiobank.uu.se.