Scientific Concept of the National Cohort (status ... - Nationale Kohorte

Retrieval of biomaterials
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A.3 Study design
After finishing the recruitment phase, researchers can apply for data and biomaterials of
the National Cohort in the context of a scientific project (see also figure 3.3). After a positive
vote of the Use and Access Committee, the samples will be selected and processed
as agreed. Researchers must finance the transport, the extraction of DNA and RNA, and
molecular analyses of the samples from their own budget.
Suggested site for the central biobank (HMGU, Munich)
Helmholtz Center Munich (HMGU) has a long-lasting experience in biobanking. Currently,
approx. 1.6 million plasma and serum aliquots from 60,000 subjects are stored, as well as
15,000 DNA samples, 6,000 RNA samples, and 4,000 cell lines. During the last 3 years,
about biosamples for 150 studieshave been retrieved for collaborative projects.
HMGU is coordinating the “Biobank Alliance” as part of the “m4 Excellence Cluster” funded
by BMBF. H.-E. Wichmann is German coordinator of the European Biobank Reseach Initiative
BBMRI. In Munich the BBMRI Catalogue of 280 biobanks registered in BBMRI is
hosted.
In addition, HMGU has broad experience in extraction of DNA, genotyping, transcriptomics,
metabolomics, and (beginning) epigenomics.
A.3.5.5 development of a tumor biobank for histologic and molecular tumor
subclassification
Concept for tumor tissue biobank
As discussed in Sect. A.2, tumors from many organ sites exhibit different molecular subtypes,
and it is increasingly being recognized that subtypes of tumors develop along different
pathways and show different epidemiologic risk factors. Thus, for future research on the
risk factors and etiology of cancer, it will be of utmost importance to have detailed knowledge
about the morphologic and molecular characteristics of the tumors from all cases with
the most frequent forms of incident cancer within the National Cohort. For morphologic and
molecular subclassification of tumor types within the National Cohort, we propose that a
quality-assured central biorepository of tumor samples be installed at the Pathology Institute
of the University of Heidelberg in collaboration with the National Center for Tumor Diseases
(NCT) in Heidelberg. After the paraffin-embedded tumor blocks have been collected
to the central repository, relevant derivatives of these will be prepared, such as sections and
tissue microarrays for immunohistochemistry, as well as nuclear acid extracts for analyzing
epigenetic markers and genetic mutation profiles.
The collection and subsequent analyses of tumor tissues of incident cancer cases, in conjunction
with the extensive risk factor information and further measurements that can be
made in blood and other biomaterials, will make it possible to perform statistical analyses
addressing cancer etiology that are of unsurpassed depth. In addition, the systematic collection
of tumor materials within the National Cohort will provide a systematic description
of molecular tumor characteristics for an epidemiologically defined population across Germany.
Requirements for tumor collection
Tissue: For diagnosis (biopsy) and during surgery (resection) tumor tissues generally are
obtained and sent to the respective pathological institutes, where the samples are then
A.3