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What are biospecimen and why are they important in drug development?

Biospecimens are biological samples collected from humans such as blood samples, tumor samples, or other tissues. They are used in biomedical research to learn about how disease affects the human body. To learn more about biospecimens and why they are important for drug development, click on the links below.

• NCI OBBR: What are Biospecimens and Biorepositories?
• NCI OBBR: Life Cycle of a Biospecimen
• NCI OBBR: The Critical Role of Biospecimen in Cancer Research

Testimonials: How we did it

• Genetic Alliance: Advocates are Leading in Biobanking

Relevant publications

• NCI OBBR: Best Practices for Biospecimen Resources
• NCI: Workshop on Release of Research Results to Participants

Related Tools

• NCI OBBR: Biospecimen Research Database
• NIDDK: Data, Biosample, and Genetics Repository
• NHLBI: Biologic Specimen and Data Repository Information Coordinating Center
• NCI: Specimen Resource Locator
• NCI DTP: Tumor Repository