Assays for Qualification and Quality Stratification of Clinical Biospecimens Used in Research: A Technical Report from the ISBER Biospecimen Science Working Group

This technical report presents quality control (QC) assays that can be performed in order to qualify clinical biospecimens that have been biobanked for use in research. Some QC assays are specific to a disease area. Some QC assays are specific to a particular downstream analytical platform. When such a qualification is not possible, QC assays are presented that can be performed to stratify clinical biospecimens according to their biomolecular quality.

A Biospecimen Proficiency Testing Program for Biobank Accreditation: Four Years of Experience

Biobanks produce and distribute biospecimens, ensuring their fitness for purpose and accurately qualifying them before distribution. In their efforts toward professionalization, biobanks can nowadays seek certification or accreditation. One of the requirements of these standards is regular participation in Proficiency Testing (PT) programs. An international PT program has been developed and provided to biobanks and other laboratories that perform specific tests to qualify different types of biospecimens. This PT program includes biospecimen testing schemes, as well as biospecimen processing interlaboratory exercises. This PT program supports the development of biobank quality assurance by providing the possibility to assess biobank laboratory performance and useful insights into biobank laboratory method performance characteristics and thus fulfill the demands from accreditation authorities.

Standard preanalytical coding for biospecimens: review and implementation of the Sample PREanalytical Code (SPREC)

The first version of the Standard PREanalytical Code (SPREC) was developed in 2009 by the International Society for Biological and Environmental Repositories (ISBER) Biospecimen Science Working Group to facilitate documentation and communication of the most important preanalytical quality parameters of different types of biospecimens used for research. This same Working Group has now updated the SPREC to version 2.0, presented here, so that it contains more options to allow for recent technological developments. Existing elements have been fine tuned. An interface to the Biospecimen Reporting for Improved Study Quality (BRISQ) has been defined, and informatics solutions for SPREC implementation have been developed. A glossary with SPREC-related definitions has also been added.