Biospecimen Basics

Educational Materials

DCTD's Biorepositories and Biospecimen Research Branch (BBRB) is committed to communicating about its initiatives around biospecimen science and the impact of biospecimen quality on cancer research and patient care. The following resources provide some basic information about biospecimens and biorepositories. 

NCI provides the public several patient education booklets to read online, print, or order copies. 

• How You Can Help Medical Research: Donating Your Blood, Tissue, and Other Samples — This informative brochure is designed to help patients understand sample donation and the process for donating samples.
• ¿Cómo puede usted contribuir a la investigación médica? Done su sangre, sus tejidos y otras muestras — Este folleto es una herramienta útil para profesionales de la salud e investigadores que quieren compartir con sus pacientes o el público en general información básica sobre la donación de muestras.

Learn more about BBRB's involvement in biospecimen research through the following multimedia communications:

• BBRB Video — Hear what important cancer community stakeholders have to say about the critical importance of high-quality biospecimens for cancer research and patient care.
• Lifecycle of Biospecimens — Learn about the many variables that impact the molecular integrity of a biospecimen as it goes through the process from its collection from a patient through to scientific analysis.