At the beginning of June the collection of samples of biological materials from oncological patients at the Medical University of Gdańsk exceeded 1000 donors. A total of 13 150 blood, plasma, skin, tumour and healthy tissue samples were collected. If we remain so active in recruiting patients, the collection might become one of the largest oncological collections in Poland over a short time span.
A specialist research unit at the Medical University of Gdańsk, 3P Medicine Laboratory, established as part of the International Research Agendas Programme run by the Foundation for Polish Science, and financed from the Smart Growth Operational Programme, commenced its operation in September 2018, as part of a research project entitled Mutations acquired during lifetime that lead to increased risk for human disease, with focus on cancer. The authors of the project and founders of the 3P (Preventive, Personalised, Precision) Medicine Laboratory are Prof. Jan Dumański and Prof. Arkadiusz Piotrowski.
The main goal of the project is a multi-level study of genetic anomalies acquired during a lifetime, as risk factors for cancer and Alzheimer?s disease. The study required a collection of thoroughly described, high-quality clinical material from patients suffering from various types of neoplasms and in various stages of the disease. With a view to launching scientific research as soon as possible, biobanking of materials started as one of the first tasks implemented as part of the project.
The collection of materials was commenced in May 2019 in five partner institutions: the University Clinical Centre in Gdańsk, the Prof. Franciszek Łukaszczyk Centre of Oncology in Bydgoszcz, Kraków Branch of the Maria Skłodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, University Hospital in Kraków, and Specialist Hospital in Kościerzyna. Sample collection is performed on the basis of detailed collection protocols, prepared by the staff of the 3P Medicine Laboratory in collaboration with pathomorphologists and surgeons. In addition, over 70 medical staff members and administration employees are engaged in collecting materials, while the collection process itself is to a large extent automated by providing an apparatus infrastructure and an IT system intended for dispersed biobanking in hospital departments. This specialist IT tool was developed in cooperation with Bioenit.
During the first stage, samples were collected from patients suffering from breast cancer, colorectal cancer, bladder cancer, prostate cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. Recruitment for control groups was performed separately. Two new diagnoses were added in 2020, namely pancreatic cancer and metachronous colorectal liver metastasis. As of September, we are planning to recruit patients with kidney cancer and patients after reduction mammoplasty procedures.
International Research Agenda – 3P Medicine Laboratory was established thanks to the funds provided by the Foundation for Polish Science as part of the International Research Agendas Programme, financed from the European Regional Development Fund under the Smart Growth Operational Programme.
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In the picture: prof. Arkadiusz Piotrowski and prof. Jan Dumański / Photogr. OneHD
Source: Medical University of Gdańsk