This presentation introduces the Breast Cancer Now Biobank (BCNB) and the Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund Tissue Bank (PCRFTB). Limited access to high-quality, diverse patient samples remains a major bottleneck in cancer research. Barts Cancer Institute, QMUL, addresses this through its coordination of national breast and pancreatic cancer biobanks, offering longitudinal biospecimen collections and rich clinical data.
The presentation then focuses on the infrastructure, capabilities, and ongoing research facilitated by the BCNB. Key features include a unified IT/bioinformatics platform, data linkage to external sources (EHRs and Genomics England), digital pathology integration, and tools for cohort discovery and data exploration. A significant emphasis is placed on improving data accessibility and usability through custom dashboards, automated request systems, and a Cohort Browser. The platform supports a collaborative environment to accelerate precision medicine research.
Finally, an example of research in which BCNB samples and data are used alongside other datasets to exam disparities in breast cancer outcomes across genetic ancestry groups is highlighted.
