Learn About Biospecimens and How to Donate
NCI is helping to answer patients’ questions about biospecimens and biorepositories by providing important information and resources.
Biospecimens are materials taken from the human body, such as cancer tissues and blood, sometimes called samples. Your biospecimens can be used for your medical care and you can also donate biospecimens for use in cancer research. It’s important that people from all communities participate in research, so that all can benefit from new discoveries.
Biospecimen and Biorepository Basics
Biospecimens are biological materials such as tissue, blood, plasma, and urine that come from people and can be used for cancer diagnosis, analysis, and basic research. Biospecimens may contain DNA, RNA, proteins, and other molecules important for understanding disease – they help to tell the story of your cancer. Learn more background on biospecimens and biorepositories.
Donating Biospecimens
Donating Your Tissue for Research
Watch this video to learn more about tissue donation from cancer survivors and a physician-researcher.
Your biospecimens can be used for your medical care, and you can donate biospecimens for use in cancer research. It’s important that people from all communities participate in research, so that all can benefit from new discoveries.
Biospecimens donated by research participants are an important part of precision medicine that is customized to the individual. Learn how NCI is advancing precision oncology. The All of Us Research Program is enabling a new era of medicine for participants, health providers and researchers.
Additional Resources for Patients
The NCI Best Practices for Biospecimen Resources
NCI’s Biorepositories and Biospecimen Research Branch (BBRB)
This branch develops biorepository standards for the global biomedical research community to enable translational research and precision medicine for patients.
HHS Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP)
The OHRP provides leadership in the protection of the rights, welfare, and wellbeing of human subjects involved in research conducted or supported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Protecting Your Privacy & Security
The privacy and security of patient health information is a top priority for patients and their families, health care providers and professionals, and the government.
Clinical Trials Information for Patients and Caregivers
Explore the basics of clinical trials, including what they are, how they work, and what to expect.
How You Can Help Medical Research: Donating Your Blood, Tissue, and Other Samples
This booklet explains what tissue samples are, why it’s important for people to donate tissue, discusses how and where to donate, and addresses many common questions and concerns.
NCI Cancer Information Service (CIS)
CIS can help answer your cancer-related questions whether you are a patient, family or friend, health care provider, or researcher. Call 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237) Monday–Friday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET.
Contact Us
For questions about biospecimens, email us at ncibbrb@nih.gov.