## <u> Global & European Networks</u>

#### **BBMRI-ERIC Directory** - [https://www.bbmri-eric.eu/biobanks/](link)

**•	Scope:** The largest biomedical research infrastructure in Europe, connecting hundreds of biobanks.

**•	Best For:** Searching complex cohorts, European clinical samples, and standardizing quality metadata (MIAPPE/ISO).


#### **UKCRC Tissue Directory** - [https://biobankinguk.org/human-samples/find/](link)

**•	Scope:** United Kingdom's national directory mapping human tissue samples.

**•	Best For:** Finding specific cancer tissue types, plasma, or serum collections within the UK clinical network.


#### **CTRNet Biobank Locator** - [https://biobanking.org/locator](link)

**•	Scope:** Canadian and International biorepositories.

**•	Best For:** Discovering tumor banks and cancer-specific registries with high-quality preservation standards.


#### **Specimen Central Directory** - [https://specimencentral.com/biobank-directory/](link)

**•	Scope:** Worldwide repository directory with a strong emphasis on North American university cores.

**•	Best For:** Finding specialized academic tissue banks and commercial-adjacent research partners.


## <u>Researchers' Checklist Before Contacting a Biobank</u>
 
To maximize the success of your inquiry through these directories, ensure you have prepared the following information before contacting a specific biobank custodian:
- Specific Phenotype/Diagnosis: Exact ICD-10 or ICD-O codes for the cancer type you are investigating.
- Format Requirements: Specify if you need FFPE (formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded) blocks, fresh frozen tissue, liquid biopsy (plasma/serum), or isolated RNA/DNA.
- Ethical Clearances: Ensure your home institution's Ethics Committee / Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval is ready or drafted.
- MTA Readiness: Be prepared to negotiate and sign a Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) with the custodian biobank.




TRANSLACORE acts as a gateway to streamline access to translational cancer research resources across Europe and globally. This curated list of open-access biobank directories serves as a starting point for researchers to discover biospecimens, cohorts, and associated clinical data across multinational networks.

Global & Regional Biobank Directories for Cancer Research

Working group 2

 COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) is a funding agency for research and innovation networks. Our Actions help connect research initiatives across Europe and enable scientists to grow their ideas by sharing them with their peers. This boosts their research, career and innovation. (www.cost.eu) | The TRANSLACORE Cost Action is bridging disciplines and expertise across Europe in order to advance an emerging field in cancer biology: translational control in cancer. It is providing a unique opportunity to understand this biological process leading to reconsider our view of gene expression control in this disease and deliver novel therapeutic opportunities.

Search in the Translacore

Global & Regional Biobank Directories for Cancer Research