Office of Biobank Education and Research (OBER)
We are pleased to announce the establishment of the Office of Biobank Education and Research (OBER) by the UBC Department of Pathology.
Mission:
To provide support for BC biobanks through education on biospecimen science and communication of best practices and standards for biobanking, in order to advance translational health research in BC.
Overall objective:
To establish an international centre of excellence in biobanking education and biospecimen based translational research
Specific Goals:
- create and deliver education and training for a range of stakeholders involved in biobanking
- facilitate registration/certification of biobanks in coordination with provincial and national and international biobanking organizations
- facilitate registration/certification of biobanks in coordination with provincial and national and international biobanking organizations
- develop and deploy mechanisms to communicate common protocols, standards and policies for biobanking
- promote establishment and maintenance of biobanks to support biospecimen based translational research in BC
Events
2012 Vancouver, BC
Vancouver Convention Center
Time: 08:00 The United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology Meeting
March 17-23, 2012
General Information and Registration
2012 Vancouver, BC
The Westin Bayshore
Time: 07:00 International Society for Biological and Environmental Repositories (ISBER) Annual Meeting & Exhibits
The Abstract Submission site is now open
General Information and Registration
Our Background
Biobanks are an important conduit for transfer of biospecimens (tissues, blood, body fluids) and related health data to research.
Progress of biobanking in recent decades
| Decade | Progress |
|---|---|
| 1990s | first formalized biobanks established in BC and Canada |
| 2000s | frameworks to facilitate biobanking established (eg CTRNet 2004, BCBL 2007) and growth of international societies and journals dedicated to biobanking (eg ISBER, Biopreservation and Biobanking) |
| 2010s | first biobank education and training centre created in in Canada (OBER) |
Why are these frameworks, societies and centers necessary?
- disease focused research biobanks have often evolved as independent entities from the historical source of many biospecimens, clinical pathology and laboratory medicine archives
- while research biobanks have developed advanced standards, protocols, databases, and mechanisms to interface with researchers seeking biospecimens this has created several challenges
- challenges for biobanks include lack of common standards, limitations in their capacity and ability to ensure quality in the face of increasing demand, and relative disconnection from donors limiting accrual capacity and endangering public confidence
What are some specific solutions?
One strategy to address these issues is to create a new framework that repatriates the activity of biospecimen accrual for biobanks to pathology and laboratory medicine and at the same time improves the ability of biobanks and donors to connect with one another.
In BC this is a key focus of the BC BioLibrary
Another strategy is to establish centers to communicate common standards and policies amongst biobanks and between biobanks and the public through education and training.
This is a key focus for the OBER.
Faculty, Staff and Contributors
| select a staff member by name: |
| General |
| Dr. Peter Watson Director Lise Matzke OBER Project Coordinator Sheila O’Donoghue OBER Project Manager Stefanie Cheah Biolibrary Coordinator Dr. Sima Eshragh Biolibrary Pathologist Analyst Simon Dee Information Technology Analyst Rebecca Barnes Consultant Analyst Helena Daudt Education Analyst |
 |
Dr. Peter Watson Director The Office of Biobank Education and Research (OBER) by the UBC Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine email to Dr. Watson Dr. Peter Watson will provide leadership for the UBC Office of Biobank Research and Education.
His research program has included the discovery, validation, elucidation of the mechanism of action, and exploration of the therapeutic potential of the S100A7 gene in breast cancer. He also leads and co-leads provincial and national biobanking initiatives to advance translational cancer research. These include the BC BioLibrary platform and the Canadian Tumor Repository Network |
| |
Dr. Peter Watson Director The Office of Biobank Education and Research (OBER) by the UBC Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine email to Dr. Watson Dr. Peter Watson will provide leadership for the UBC Office of Biobank Research and Education.
His research program has included the discovery, validation, elucidation of the mechanism of action, and exploration of the therapeutic potential of the S100A7 gene in breast cancer. He also leads and co-leads provincial and national biobanking initiatives to advance translational cancer research. These include the BC BioLibrary platform and the Canadian Tumor Repository Network |
 |
Lise Metzke OBER Project Coordinator The Office of Biobank Education and Research (OBER) email to Lise Metzke
|
 |
Sheila O'Donoghue OBER Project Manager The Office of Biobank Education and Research (OBER) email to Sheila O'Donoghue
|
 |
Stefanie Cheah Biolibrary Coordinator The Office of Biobank Education and Research (OBER) email to Stefanie Cheah Stefanie Cheah is the Project Coordinator for the BC BioLibrary. Stefanie brings over five years experience in the laboratory setting specializing in the areas of molecular biology, immunology and biochemistry. In addition, Stefanie has pursued her M.Sc. in Experimental Medicine and education in project management. |
 |
Dr. Sima Eshragh Biolibrary Pathologist Analyst The Office of Biobank Education and Research (OBER) email to Sima Eshragh Dr. Eshragh brings six years of experience as a General Pathologist trained overseas. Dr. Eshragh currently reviews a variety of pathology cases and involved in several research project with other investigators. |
 |
Simon Dee Information Technology Analyst The Office of Biobank Education and Research (OBER) email to Simon Dee Simon Dee leads the application platform and services development for BC Cancer Agency's next-generation Bio-banking platform. He has experience in building technically challenging web-based applications and services. He has implemented the TTR (Tumour Tissue Repository) Information Systems Architecture and has also provided a cutting edge solution to support the BC Cancer Agency TTR Database Repository initiative of storing patient clinical data, pathologist annotations, outcomes, and specimen inventories for cancer research. This solution will be ground breaking in supporting and directing new research initiatives as well as allow the exploration of data mining not possible in the past. |
Consultant Analyst
Affiliation: BC Cancer Agency Tumour Tissue Repository (BCCA-TTR)
email to Rebecca Barnes
| Helena Daudt Education Analyst BC Cancer Agency – Vancouver Island Centre email to Helena Daudt
|
TOOLS
This is currently under construction
CURRENT PROJECTS
more information coming soon:
- Permission to contact
- Biobank Information Centre
- Biobanking Tools
British Columbia Biobanks
- BC Cancer Agency Tumour Tissue Repository (BCCA-TTR)
- BC Generations project
- Dr. David Huntsman’s platform
- Dr. Sam Aparecio’s platform
- Genetic Pathology Evaluation
- James Hogg Research Centre (iCAPTURE) Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Biobanks
- Ovarian Cancer Research (OvCaRe)
- Vancouver Prostate Centre Biorepository
National and International Biobanking Initiatives
- BC Biolibrary
- Biobanking and Biomolecular Resource Research Infrastructure (BBMRI)
- Breast Cancer Tissue Bank
- Canadian Tumor Repository Network
- European Human Frozen Tumor Frozen Tissue Bank
- Genetic Alliance
- Integrated Biobank of Luxembourg
- International Society for Biological and Environmental Repositories (ISBER)
- MarbleArch Working Group (MAWG)
- Office of Biorepositories and Biospecimen Research (OBBR)
- Spanish National Tumor Bank Network
US Sites Specimen Locators
For more information- you’re welcomed to contact the coordinator: Lise Matzke lmatzke@pathology.ubc.ca
How to get here:
Directions:
Pathology Education Centre
Rm. 3202, 3rd Floor
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
910 West 10th Avenue
Vancouver, BC V5Z 4E3
We are located on the 3rd floor of the North Building of the Jim Pattison Pavilion and can be accessed through the main entrance by the Emergency Department.
Arriving from YVR Vancouver International Airport:
By car (Approx. 25min) : Leaving the airport, follow signs to Vancouver on Grant McConachie Way East. Cross over Arthur Laing Bridge and keep right at the fork, follow signs for Granville Street/ City Centre/Hwy 99 North. Continue North on Granville Street. Turn right on West 12th Avenue. Turn Left on Oak Street. Take the 1st right onto West 10th Avenue.
By transit (Approx. 35min):
Take the Canada Line SkyTrain from the YVR-Airport Station (Direction Terminus Station – Waterfront) to Broadway – City Hall Station.
Exiting the station, walk South on Cambie Street turn right on West 10th Avenue. Continue walking west until you reach the Vancouver General Hospital Emergency Department entrance on your left.
Arriving from Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal:
By car (Approx. 40min): Head west toward Ferry Ramp/BC-17N. Continue on BC-17 N and merge onto BC-99N via the ramp to Richmond/Vancouver. Continue onto Oak Street. Turn right onto West 10th Avenue.
By transit (Approx. 1h 15min): Take the 620 Bus to Bridgeport Station. Go into the Canada Line Bridgeport Station and take the SkyTrain northbound (Direction Terminus Station – Waterfront) to Broadway – City Hall Station. Exiting the station, walk South on Cambie Street turn right on West 10th Avenue. Continue walking west until you reach the Vancouver General Hospital Emergency Department entrance on your left.
Arriving from the South:
Take BC-99N and continue north onto Oak Street. Turn right onto West 10th Avenue.
Arriving from the East:
Take HWY-1 West until Exit 28 and merge onto Grandview Hwy W. Continue onto E 12th Ave. Turn right on Heather St. Take the first left onto W 10th Avenue.
OBER |
BACKGROUND |
OUR TEAM |
CURRENT PROJECTS |
TOOLS |
LINKS |
CONTACT US
|
|