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Precision tissue biobanking made easy

Project description

Advancing biobanking protocols

Scientific studies often rely on patient samples to validate preclinical results and provide valuable insight into disease emergence and progression. Similarly, the discovery of disease biomarkers requires patient samples usually stored in biorepositories known as biobanks. However, processing biological samples is laborious and involves expert staff. The ERC-based ARTS project aims to change this through an automated technology based on augmented reality that is user friendly and can be streamlined across hospitals. Such a platform, which enables monitoring of sample processing, will be more sustainable and cost-effective and offer high-quality tissues for research purposes.

Objective

Large scale biobanks are essential to meet the world-wide demand for high quality tissues to understand the development and progression of disease, or discover and validate novel biomarkers. Current biobanking protocols for harvesting and processing tissue are manual and therefore rely on experienced and costly on-site personnel. Imagine the possibilities of scientific discoveries in personalized diagnostics, prognostics and treatment if high-quality tissues could be made available from several hospitals using streamlined, harmonized and automated biobanking protocols, that would also allow for maximal utilization of this precious material. In this PoC, we propose a shift from a human centered to a semi- or fully automated tissue harvesting and processing protocol. Specifically, we propose to develop further, test and validate (from TRL4 to TRL7) an Augmented Reality enhanced and automated Tissue Sampler (ARTS), a technology that is cost-effective, simple to operate, and allows for maximal tissue utilization. The ARTS prototype was developed within my ongoing ERC StG and already enables sub-samples to be selected from tissue based on invisible features such as diseased and non-diseased cells – one of the general challenges of biobanking today. In this PoC, we will include comprehensive process monitoring and sample tracking features such as position, temperature and processing time to allow automated sub-sampling while ensuring operator quality assurance with minimal hands-on time. We will also incorporate a tested user-friendly interface ready for industry and a potential spin-off company. ARTS will allow biobanks to serve customers with specific and high-quality targeted sub-samples which will enhance the value of the material through increased reproducibility, faster processing and more efficient utilization. In addition, ARTS will relieve financial burden and achieve more long-term sustainability for biobanks, which typically depend on public funding.

Keywords

Host institution

NORGES TEKNISK-NATURVITENSKAPELIGE UNIVERSITET NTNU
Net EU contribution
€ 150 000,00
Address
HOGSKOLERINGEN 1
7491 Trondheim
Norway

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Region
Norge Trøndelag Trøndelag
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Links
Total cost
No data

Beneficiaries (1)