Development of a browser-based sample bank for multicenter liquid biopsy trials

Aim:

As part of clinical multicentre trials in the realm of liquid biopsy – such as the DETECT-trials – blood samples from carcinoma patients need to be processed by different laboratories. In this regard key challenges are the low positivity rates and the small amounts of the target materials resulting in difficulties to create sufficient cohorts.

The sample bank was designed to remedy this bottleneck and to create an option for cross-laboratory collaboration.

Materials:

Data of nearly 3.000 samples of DETECT CTC patients were collected.

Methods:

We created a web-application, which contains information that are important for further research projects like sample-logistic, sample-processing, quality control and already compiled data. For the server-backend we used PHP in combination with MySQL. To summarise the available data, we programmed a caching script that merges the individual entries into one entry per sample and allows to reduce the required computing effort.

Results:

Our sample bank allows to create sufficient cohorts. Every contributing centre can grant different access rights to their users and can only edit its own information. A core feature of the sample bank is the ability to select certain probes and to request them from a sample manager, who can then coordinate the exchange of the samples.

Summary:

Within the DETECT-CTC trial program we established a virtual sample bank. Thanks to the sample bank sample exchange within the consortium will be simplified and the basis for translational liquid biopsy studies will be improved.