Cancer biobank for Jordan Each year, Jordan's King Hussein Cancer Centre (KHCC) treats more than 3 500 new adult and paediatric cancer patients. The EU-funded KHCCBIO project has helped the Centre with its plans to establish a state-of-the-art biospecimen repository for use in cancer research. Health © Thinkstock Treating cancer patients from both Jordan and neighbouring countries, the KHCC is striving to maintain its leading position in cancer therapy in the Middle East, and remain at the forefront of cancer detection and treatment. A primary approach to this goal is the support of knowledge transfer and training. The KHCC has established the first International Organization for Standardization (ISO)-accredited cancer biobank for collecting, processing, storing and archiving cancer biospecimens. Key KHCCBIO project achievements included the development of an exploitation and dissemination plan. There is a project website, and press releases, a newsletter and fact sheets have been produced and published, as have newspaper, magazine and scientific journal articles. Radio and TV interviews related to the project and the Centre's activities have also contributed to dissemination efforts. Fifteen high-profile conferences have been held across Europe and in Africa and Jordan. For quality measures, the KHCCBIO Quality Policy Manual, a Validation Master Plan and documents for ISO certification requirements were all finalised. As with all project documents, they have been approved by the KHCCBIO Chief Quality Officer. A task force has also been set up to develop policies on ethics, data privacy, confidentiality, sample ownership and by-laws for the biobank. Training courses on consent for tissue banking and preservation, ISO quality management, data privacy standards, equipment and systems infrastructure qualification, tissue storage and distribution standards were held at centres of excellence in Ireland. Ongoing KHCCBIO work will further develop the KHCC's research infrastructure, increasing its scope and visibility. Project efforts have and will continue to help develop and enhance partnerships between organisations in Europe and the Middle East, as well as build competency for participation in future EU-funded projects. Initially named Al-Amal Center, meaning 'the centre of hope', this world-class institution was renamed after King Hussein who died of cancer. The KHCC is a free-standing, independent, non-governmental, non-profit organisation established by a royal decree to combat cancer in Jordan and the Middle East region. KHCCBIO outcomes will continue to boost cancer research and treatment potential in the region due to the Centre's expansion. Keywords Cancer, cancer biobank, biobanks, biospecimen, knowledge transfer, training
