Biospecimen Support

Tissue procurement for research requires careful planning and close coordination with study teams and clinical partners. Because each study's needs and clinical workflows vary, we strongly recommend engaging with us early to assess feasibility and logistics.

Submitting your request

To begin study setup, submit a request for services:

Request services
Off-campus requests require a VPN connection

When requesting services:

• Have your protocol, lab manual, and any relevant specimen handling instructions ready.
• A chartstring is required as part of setting up your project. 
• Please submit requests a minimum of 3 weeks prior to the anticipated first collection date. 

Initial request review 

A procurement coordinator reviews each request for services to determine whether we can support the project and works with the study team to discuss:

• Logistics: Procedure timing, location, and required notice.
• Workflow impact: Any necessary adjustments to standard clinical workflows.
• Feasibility: Specimen handling and processing within operational constraints.

The Tissue Procurement Agreement (TPA) is required for all studies we support. It standardizes instructions for specimen collection, processing, and transfer, ensuring compliance and sample integrity.

• Process: We draft the TPA from the Clinical Translational Research Portal request, and the study team collaborates to finalize the content.
• Key requirement: IRB approval (or non-human subjects documentation) is required before the TPA can be finalized.
• Signatures: It must be signed by the PI, lead clinical research coordinator, and our medical and program directors.
• Activation: The TPA must be fully executed before any specimen collection begins.

Key components of the TPA

The Tissue Procurement Agreement (TPA) must be fully executed before patient enrollment or specimen collection. It serves as the foundation for all activities by formally documenting the following.

1. Material specifications

• Define the tissue type, condition, preservation method, and quantity of tissue to be collected.
• Specify handling requirements to prevent degradation and ensure research usability.

2. Standard of care (SOC) vs. research-only procedures

• Indicate whether the procedure is part of routine clinical care or exclusively for research purposes.
• Outline any necessary approvals or clinical coordination.

3. Procurement and processing workflow

• Detail step-by-step instructions for specimen collection, including transport, storage, and time-sensitive processing.
• Establish a chain of custody to document specimen transfer and ensure proper handling.
• Include specialized protocols such as freezing methods, sectioning, and labeling to maintain sample viability.

Once your study is activated with a signed Tissue Procurement Agreement (TPA), the study team coordinates each tissue collection as follows:

1. Submit specimen procurement request. Submit Request Form at least 24 hours before the procedure. Include signed consent if not in EPIC.
2. Ensure required EPIC orders are entered. Ensure Surgical Pathology and/or Research orders are entered in EPIC. 
3. Deliver collection supplies. Drop off required supplies to Mayo C338 at least one business day before the procedure.
4. Coordination of collection. We confirm logistics, retrieves, and processes specimens per TPA. Surgical Pathology has sole discretion, based on clinical needs, to approve and determine the quantity of tissue released for research.
5. Specimen pick-up. We notify when specimens are ready. Pick up from Mayo C338, Monday through Friday, 9am–4:30pm.
6. Communication. Ensure a study team member is available on procedure day.

What to expect on the day of collection:

• Real-time monitoring: Monitor cases as they happen in EPIC.
• OR notification: Notifies the operating room (OR) or procedural unit about active collection needs.
• Kit delivery: Delivers specimen collection kits to the OR or clinical unit.
• Documentation verification: Verifies EPIC orders and consent forms are present.
• Strict adherence: Ensures compliance with ischemic time limits and specific study handling instructions.
• Coordination with Pathology: Works with gross room pathologist assistants to ensure clinical needs are met and to authorize tissue release for research.
• Specimen processing: Processes specimens according to the TPA and study protocol.
• Chain of custody: Documents the chain of custody, including collection time, study ID, and handoff details.
• Specimen transfer: Transfers specimens directly to the research team.

To maintain compliance and smooth operations, promptly email [email protected] with any study updates or changes, including:

• Study personnel changes: Notify us of updates to research coordinators and PI(s) to ensure accurate communication.
• TPA revisions: Required for changes to specimen type, handling, processing, storage, or study personnel.
• Common examples: New specimen types, updated procedures, or protocol changes affecting tissue procurement. We must review and approve all revisions before implementation.
• Chart string updates: Report any billing or financial tracking changes to avoid invoicing errors.
• Study closure: Notify us when the study concludes to close out procurement activities.

No. We can support the collection and processing of a variety of biospecimen types based on study needs. In addition to fresh surgical tissue, we can assist with specimens such as bone marrow biopsies, body fluids, and other biospecimens when appropriate workflows and approvals are in place. Please contact our team to discuss your study requirements and determine feasibility. 

No. We are not able to obtain informed consent from research participants. It is the responsibility of the principal investigator and their research study team to manage the consenting process and ensure all Institutional Review Board (IRB) requirements are met before specimen collection begins. 

No. The biorepository has been transferred to the Masonic Cancer Center and is now overseen by the Data and Biospecimen Utilization Committee (DBUC). If you are interested in requesting existing biospecimens, please contact the Masonic Cancer Center DBUC for information on specimen availability and the request process. 

You should contact us whenever your study requires research biospecimens to be collected from patients during a clinical encounter at University of Minnesota clinical sites, including surgery, interventional radiology procedures, bone marrow biopsies, or other clinical visits. 

Per Fairview Research Administration (FRA) and Pathology, only our staff are permitted in the Fairview operating rooms (ORs) and interventional radiology (IR) on the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus. Exceptions require FRA and Pathology approval.  

We work with investigators to assess feasibility, coordinate with clinical teams, develop a Tissue Procurement Agreement (TPA), and ensure biospecimens are collected in compliance with institutional and clinical workflows. 

To allow adequate time for planning and approvals, we recommend contacting us as early as possible during study startup and submitting requests at least three weeks before your anticipated collection date. 

Yes. While much of our work takes place in operating rooms, we also support research biospecimen collection in interventional radiology, bone marrow clinics, and other clinical care areas when feasible. 

Our services are currently limited to the University of Minnesota Twin Cities East Bank, West Bank, and Clinics and Surgery Center (CSC) locations. 

If your study requires biospecimens from a different clinical setting within these locations, contact us early in the planning process. We'll review your study, assess feasibility, and work with you and the clinical team to determine the best approach for collection. 

If there are changes to your study that affect biospecimen collection — such as updates to the protocol, collection procedures, study personnel, or funding — please notify us at [email protected] as soon as possible. 

Depending on the changes, we may need to update your request in the Clinical Translational Research Portal and/or amend your Tissue Procurement Agreement (TPA). Contact our team, and we'll help determine what updates are needed to keep your study on track. 

We partner closely with operating rooms, interventional radiology, and clinical staff to coordinate research biospecimen collection while ensuring patient care remains the top priority. 

Our team communicates directly with clinical personnel to coordinate specimen collection, transport, processing, and documentation in accordance with institutional policies and clinical workflows. 

This often involves collaboration among multiple groups to ensure collections are compliant, feasible, and aligned with patient care needs. This includes:

• Surgical pathology: To confirm tissue can be released for research after clinical needs are met;
• The operating room (OR): To coordinate timing and logistics;
• The gross room, clinical staff, and surgeons: To ensure expectations are clearly communicated; and
• Study teams: To verify consent and procedural readiness.

By serving as the central point of coordination, we help integrate research activities into the clinical environment while minimizing disruption to patient care and clinical operations.