Information for ​brain-bank managers

Brain Bank Managers

These pages are a resource to help the banks work in a harmonised way. We’re continually working to improve these documents to make them more helpful, and to facilitate tissue exchange between an increasingly wide research base.

Approved documentation for brain banks in the UK Brain Bank Network and sample forms These documents have previously been approved by the Brain Bank Network Management Group to serve as a helpful source of information and instruction.

Measures of success

The following information is collected from all the banks as measures of success:

  • Operational data - traceability of tissues, location of tissues, records of disposal and “stock taking performance” - records of cases and their accuracy etc. Transparency in the quality of the clinical data and records that accompany the samples e.g. BDR, cohort or local brain bank cases.
  • Tissue quality parameters – pH, fixation time, post-mortem delay and RIN are the agreed minimum data that will be collected for each donation. The agreed definition of post-mortem delay is - the time between death and the stabilisation of the tissue by formalin or freezing. In addition, if available, information on how the body was stored (fridge or room temperature) should be recorded.
  • Turnover - number of cases/samples received, stored and provided to researchers. Information on whether this is the whole brain or blocks, if blocks the number and the storage method (paraffin or frozen). Provision of workload statistics to record the time spent on these activities.
  • Marketing - marketing research work and evidence that the relevant research community is aware of the resources available.
  • Accessibility – what has been done to facilitate access by researchers to tissue samples across the Network?
  • Provision of samples - how many projects from the UK and overseas are supported by the brain banks in question and how many samples have been provided to each project? Have any new groups applied for tissue samples? What is the success rate for applications for tissue samples?
  • Use of samples - how many papers are published as a result of the brain banking activity and how many patents are generated from this work?
  • Industry - the extent of use by industry could also be considered as another parameter.

Agreed (timed) objectives for brain banks within the network

Project Area Objective Deliverable Time Period
Tissue Procurement – Number of donations frozen 90% of brains have frozen tissue Per year
Clinical/Neuropath Reporting – Report finalised Average 16 weeks After donation
Tissue Requests – Time to notification of researcher by management board 3 weeks After receiving fully completed application
Tissue Requests – Supply of tissue to researchers Project specific Agreed time frame between TB and researcher
Tissue Requests – Obtain written report of research carried out on tissue by the researcher Project specific 6 months after tissue supply (12 months for large projects)
Public visibility – Talks to patient interest groups/Health Care Professionals Project specific Per year
Public visibility – Attendance at scientific meetings to advertise tissue bank Project specific Per year