Institutional Biospecimen Bank
Among the most valuable resources to our investigators is human biospecimens for use in basic science, translational, and clinical studies, and clinical trials.
The UNMC Institutional Biospecimen Bank (IBB) serves as a centralized resource for the collection, storage, processing, and distribution of human biospecimens to advance biomedical and translational research. The facility supports investigators with a wide range of services including biospecimen processing, clinical trial support, short term tissue culture, frozen tissue preparation, and specialized sample handling and shipping.
Under the leadership of Kurt Fisher, MD, PhD, the IBB combines expertise in pathology and molecular biology to provide researchers with high-quality specimens and associated clinical data while maintaining strict regulatory compliance and patient confidentiality. Select tissue and biospecimen requests are reviewed by the IBB Governance Committee to help ensure responsible, equitable, and ethical use of biospecimen resources.
Services and Instrumentation
The Institutional Biospecimen Bank (IBB) utilizes liquid handling robots, plate readers and extraction machines to offer researchers a wide array of services. Our staff has knowledge and expertise in many areas including sample management, molecular extractions and other wet lab bench work. The IBB also offers wet lab space in which investigators can process specimens.
- FFPE, snap frozen, viably frozen, and direct release tissue
- De-identified serum, plasma, and whole blood samples
- Intraoperative sterile fresh tissue procurement
- Retrieval of archival patient tissue
- DNA, RNA, or protein extraction
- Utilizing an automated extraction instrument, the KingFisher Flex, the IBB can extract DNA and RNA from a variety of sample types including whole blood, saliva, soil, and tissue. The lab staff has years of DNA/RNA isolation experience to ensure proper isolation.
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Peripheral blood mononuclear cell isolation
- Utilizing the lab skills of the staff, the IBB is able to offer PBMC isolations. This procedure is done by hand and not on a machine.
- The IBB offers deidentified serum, plasma, and whole blood samples to researchers within the University of Nebraska System.
- The IBB offers sample management services for researchers on campus. We own multiple (-80°C) freezers in which we can rent space to researchers. These freezers are on alarm and monitored 24/7. The IBB staff will take care of any freezer issues that arise to ensure integrity of the samples.
- Sample management is a large burden for many researchers. This service takes the weight off the researcher and their staff. The IBB will keep a running inventory in which the researcher has access and will label vials as needed and store them at the appropriate temperature until the researchers request them.
- Inventory management, honest broker services,letters of support, feasibility searches, etc.
- Our staff members are skilled in many laboratory techniques. This allows us to support researchers who lack wet lab space in which to conduct research. The IBB supports many clinical trials with this service as well as academic research on campus.
Pricing & Ordering
Be Kind and Cite
Publications resulting from work performed in the Institutional Biospecimen Bank should include the core's Research Identifier (RRID). This ensures proper recognition of the IBB's contributions, supports continued funding, and promotes transparency and reproducibility in research.
"We recognize the use of the University of Nebraska Medical Center - Institutional Biospecimen Bank, RRID:SCR_027222, which receives support from the Buffett Cancer Center Support Grant P30CA03672, the State of Nebraska DHHS LB 595, the UNMC Vice Chancellor of Research, and the UNMC Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology."
IBB Contact Info
Hours: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Location: BCC SRT 5.12.431 Lab Phone: 402-559-5086 Email: IBB@unmc.edu