Scripps Health/Scripps Clinic Bio-Repository and Bio-Informatics Core

Building a brighter tomorrow

A physician amidst lab equipment related to the Scripps Health/Scripps Clinic Bio-Repository and Bio-Informatics Core.

Building a brighter tomorrow

Scripps is home to a world-renowned research program, which has been at the forefront of medical discoveries for decades. Our scientific researchers are leaders in the field, dedicated to discovering new treatments, medications and devices that will improve the health and well-being of San Diegans and many others throughout the world. 

 

The Scripps Health/Scripps Clinic Bio-Repository and Bio-Informatics Core is a multifaceted, comprehensive resource for physicians and scientists that provides access to various biological materials for the purposes of conducting research on many diseases and health conditions. Our bio-repository helps advance medical care for patients; develops educational and research opportunities for medical faculty, residents and fellows; and supports our goals to acquire large-scale clinical trials and become leaders of research consortia.


Bio-repositories are sometimes called “biobanks,” “DNA banks” or “genetic databases.” They consist of a collection of human biological materials (e.g., tissue, urine, saliva and blood) that can serve as samples capable of being linked to genetic information and/or a person’s medical history. Through the use of stored bio-specimens and clinical information, researchers can complete work that may lead to the development of new diagnostic tests and targeted or personalized treatments for diseases. (Please see the “Frequently asked questions” below for additional information.) Our goal is to help translate scientific discoveries made in the laboratory into new treatments and improved health for Scripps patients and throughout the world.


Created in 2014, the Scripps Health/Scripps Clinic Bio-Repository and Bio-Informatics Core has continuously evolved and expanded its services to the greater San Diego medical research community, and other scientists around the globe, by providing centralized high-quality bio-specimen and clinical data collection, processing, accessibility, management, distribution, and specialized analytics of bio-specimens — which are the key to development and testing of next-generation diagnostics and treatments. We work with and provide services to many leading and world-class institutions, including the La Jolla Institute of Immunology and Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, as well as notable biotech and pharmaceutical companies that emphasize research related to long-term improvements in patient outcomes and quality of life for patients suffering from a range of debilitating diseases.


For a full list of our past and current projects, see our monthly report (PDF, 330 KB). 

Fundamental principles

The Scripps Health/Scripps Clinic Bio-Repository and Bio-Informatics Core is committed to diversity, integrity and quality.


Diversity

We are committed to maintaining an extensive inventory of bio-specimens from a wide range of disease types and health conditions to help support a broad range of medical and scientific research and development. 

 

Integrity

Ethical accountability, compliance, transparency and stringent privacy protection measures are currently in place to protect the information of patients who participate in the bio-repository program according to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA); and to ensure that practices and resulting medical and scientific research are at both high ethical and scientific standards. We also have an Oversight Committee consisting of clinicians, scientists, community members and patients who evaluate and approve the release of bio-specimens to the requesting institutions.


Quality

We are committed to standardized best practices and procedures according to the International Society for Biological and Environmental Repositories (ISBER), as well as continuous improvement and direct control over all aspects of bio-specimen collection, processing and storage to ensure de-identified bio-specimens and associated clinical data are of the highest quality in order to support the next generation of exceptional research.

Research team

Frequently asked questions

What is the Scripps Health/Scripps Clinic Bio-Repository and Bio-Informatics Core? 

The Scripps Health/Scripps Clinic Bio-Repository and Bio-Informatics Core is a multifaceted, comprehensive resource for physicians and scientists that provides access to various biological materials for the purposes of conducting research on many diseases and health conditions.

What is a bio-repository?

Bio-repositories are sometimes called “biobanks,” “DNA banks” or “genetic databases.” They consist of a collection of human biological materials (e.g., tissue, urine, saliva and blood) that can serve as samples capable of being linked to genetic information and/or a person’s medical history. Through the use of stored bio-specimens and clinical information, researchers can complete work that may lead to the development of new diagnostic tests and targeted or personalized treatments for diseases.

Why are bio-repositories important?

Increasingly, researchers use bio-repositories to study genetic factors in health and disease. Using the stored genetic material and information, researchers do work that may lead to the development of new diagnostic tests and targeted or personalized treatments for diseases. One of the goals of the Scripps Health/Scripps Clinic Bio-Repository and Bio-Informatics Core is to help translate scientific discoveries made in the laboratory into new treatments and improved health for Scripps patients and throughout the world.

Who is eligible to participate?

We are currently looking for enrollees who receive care within the Scripps Health system only.

How can I participate? 

Participation in the Scripps Health/Scripps Clinic Bio-Repository and Bio-Informatics Core is completely voluntary. If you would like to participate, please review the consent form below, which contains additional information about our studies and use of bio-specimens. If you decide to participate, please submit the consent form. If you agree to participate, no additional appointments will be necessary. Specimens will be collected during your regularly scheduled visits and after your care.

How long will my samples be stored?

Your samples will be stored for an indefinite period of time unless you ask for your samples to be removed.

Will my information be confidential?

The data that we obtain from you will be strictly confidential. You will be assigned a study number which is a unique identifier in our database and on your samples. This makes you completely anonymous to everyone except the research team. This database is stored on a secure server in a department that routinely handles sensitive information and procedures are in place to ensure the highest possible data security and integrity. Any data released to researchers will be in an electronic form and will be fully anonymous; it will contain no means to identify you. If your samples are released for further analysis to clinical/scientific collaborators (e.g., academia or industry), those researchers can request information such as your BMI, age, blood sample results etc., which will enable them to analyze their data. However, none of your personal information or data that could be traced to you will be released.

How to participate

Collecting bio-specimens is critical in our efforts to help advance medicine, enhance patient care and save lives.


Currently, we are seeking samples from Scripps patients only. Your participation in the bio-repository is completely voluntary. If you agree to participate, no additional appointments will be necessary. Specimens will be collected during your regularly scheduled visits and after your care. Your information will remain strictly confidential. You will be assigned a study number, which is a unique identifier in our database and on your samples, making you completely anonymous to everyone except the research team.


If you agree to donate samples, specimen collection will consist of either blood, tissue or other bodily fluid(s). 


For blood donation: We will draw two additional tubes during a regularly scheduled blood draw.


For tissue donation: If you have a procedure which removes tissue from your body, we will first have a pathologist review the specimen and complete all the testing related to your medical care. Once complete, we will take a piece of the remaining tissue for the bio-repository. Normally this tissue is discarded, so no additional tissue will be removed during your procedure.


Any additional bodily fluid donations that you agree to will only be collected during a regularly scheduled visit. We will not request that you come in for an additional visit solely for the bio-repository specimens.


For additional information, please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions above or download our brochure. (PDF, 1.8 MB)

Consent form

If you would like to participate, you have the option of completing the form online at https://is.gd/biorepository_consent or downloading and completing the PDF form. You will need to download the form and save a copy on your computer. After you complete the request, click “submit” at the bottom of the form and it will open your email application to send the form. 


Consent Form (English) (PDF, 310 KB) 


Consent Form (Spanish) (PDF, 170 KB) 


If you have questions about participating in the bio-repository, please email us at scbbc@scrippshealth.org.

For researchers

If you need samples for a study you are currently conducting, please fill out our request form (PDF, 130 KB). You will need to download the form and save a copy on your computer. After you complete the request, click “SUBMIT FORM” at the bottom of the form and it will open your email application to send the form. You will also need to fill out, sign and return our Materials Transfer Agreement (DOCX, 36 KB) and HIPAA Data Use Agreement (DOC, 95 KB). 


If you are currently enrolling patients into a study and would like to partner with us to facilitate recruitment, collection, processing and storage, please contact us.


To learn more about our comprehensive program, visit our bio-repository services and bio-informatics services pages.

Contact

Sunil Kurian, PhD

Scientific Director

10666 N. Torrey Pines Road, 200N

La Jolla, CA 92037, USA

Direct Line: 858-554-4360

scbbc@scrippshealth.org