For Companies
Biosample Hub provides biotech companies with with access to reliable clinical samples and provenance information. We do this by connecting you directly with hospital biobanks that are the source of the samples, and by encouraging free communication.
Fees and Services
Updated 23rd Oct 2023
Introduction
- No fee
- Optional zoom call with guided tour of our platform
- We will advise you on the feasibility of finding your required samples on our platform
| Contact Us |
Single Request
- Fee of £750
- You submit a single request for a single condition or disease
- We send your request to all biobanks on platform to find suitable providers and we also target the most relevant providers, based on our experience
- We carry out an off-platform search if no suitable provider is found within 6 weeks
- If you do not find a suitable provider by the end of 6 months, you can submit one more single request
- If you pay for a Single Request, then you can upgrade to Membership with a £750 discount. Membership allows you to login to our platform, and interact directly with all the biobanks on our network – see details below.
| Application Form |
Membership
- Subscription fee of £3000 for year 1. This is reduced to £1500 for year 2 and each subsequent year
- This gives you unlimited access to our platform and resources
- You can communicate directly with all the biobanks on the platform
- You can submit an unlimited number of requests which are advertised to all the biobanks on the platform. In addition, we highlight each request to the most relevant biobanks
- We provide 2 off-platform searches per year if required
- You have access to our expert advisory services based on 25 years experience of providing biospecimens to industry
- Please note that membership is reserved for biotech companies with no more than 1,500 employees
| Application Form |
Advantages of Biosample Hub
We provide the following advantages to biotech companies:
1. Large biobank network
Biosample Hub provides access to a global network of around 80 Academic Biobanks.
2. Industry-friendly biobanks
All the biobanks on our network want to provide human biospecimens for industry research. There are two reasons for this high level of interest. Firstly, providing samples to industry is the platform’s sole purpose. Secondly, Biosample Hub membership is voluntary.
3. Samples with provenance
Direct contact with the source biobank is an essential part of Biosample Hub. The resulting close communication brings many benefits. Most important, it allows for complete provenance data on human biospecimens. It also provides access to scientific and clinical expertise. Also, it brings access to services like tissue sectioning and staining. Furthermore, companies and biobanks must be in direct contact to follow EU regulations on IVD medical devices.
4. Prospective collections
Over 75% of the biobanks on our platform will provide prospective collections. With a prospective collection, samples can be collected according to your specific requirements. Prospective collection is always necessary, if you require fresh and viable tissue samples.
5. User-friendly platform
This platform has many innovative features to facilitate connection with suitable biobanks. Furthermore, there is continuing development of the platform to improve its performance. For details, see the Platform Page.
6. Financial transparency
A not-for-profit company runs the platform and it has no shareholders. So, we reinvest any financial surpluses into the company. Any transactions between the company and the biobank take place independently of the platform. Furthermore, Biosample Hub does not charge any commission.
7. No contract
There is no contract with Biosample Hub. So there is no hassle and no contractual restrictions.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Which disease types?
Biosample Hub includes biobanks that cover the full range of human diseases.
What sample types?
The biospecimens most often requested are solid tissue and blood. Solid tissue may be normal or diseased, including tumour samples. It may be frozen or formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE). Requesters need fresh solid tissue for cell culture. Also, whole blood is a common request, or fractions like the buffy coat, serum or plasma. Furthermore, many other sample types are available, like CSF, sputum, urine, faeces, etc. In summary, a vast range of human biospecimens is available to meet your research needs.
What clinical information?
The amount of clinical information provided varies from one biobank to another.
One thing that is universal for all biobanks on this platform is that you will know the identity of the biobank. So if you need to access further clinical information on your samples, you can go direct to the source.
Any additional services?
The biobanks on our platform offer a wide variety of services. These may include extracting DNA, RNA or protein. They may also provide tissue sectioning, immunohistochemistry, quality control, cell culture, customized assays, and many other services.
What's prospective collection?
A prospective collection involves the ongoing and future accrual of human biospecimens for research. This approach is necessary if the requester requires a specific collection protocol. It is also essential for the collection of fresh samples. Most biobanks on our platform will offer a prospective collection.
What fee per sample?
All biobanks will charge a fee for biospecimens and prices vary between biobanks. The fees depend on many factors, including the cost of staffing in different countries. As the requester, you pay this fee direct to the biobank. Moreover, Biosample Hub does not charge any transaction fee.
Examples of biobank tariffs:
USA
Canada
Spain
France
UK
What if I can’t find samples?
If you can’t find the biospecimens you need in our directories, then you need to submit a request on the platform. Request submission is very straightforward. On receipt, we send your request to suitable biobank members. We also display it in the Request Directory. If you do not find biospecimens this way, then you need to inform us. We will then search our more extensive network outside the platform. Then we recommend biobanks for you to contact.
How do I join?
To join, you need to complete the application form, then pay the annual subscription.
Must I sign a contract?
No, there is no contract to sign with Biosample Hub. All you need to do is observe the terms and conditions on the website.
To access clinical samples, you sign a material transfer agreement with the biobank.
Testimonials From Company Members
“We have supported the Biosample Hub project since its start since we think that a worldwide platform of reliable and ethically sourced clinical samples is urgently needed”. Stefano Palea, Humana Biosciences S.A.S., France.
“Biosample Hub assists beneficial collaborations between industry and academia through its intuitive platform which connects groups in a fair and transparent manner”. Liam Burke-Masterson, Genuity Science, Ireland.
“I was attracted to this proposal because of its transparency with the biobanks which is often lost with other platforms”. Anonymous, Biotech Company, UK.
“Biosample Hub provides an essential missing link between biotech researchers and medical sites/non-commercial biobanks – as a biotech scientist, I appreciate how it gives me access to a much wider range of potential biosamples vs. the usual mix of commercial providers”. Anonymous researcher, South SF, CA.
“We valued the speed and transparency of the platform and plan on harnessing the network for future sample acquisition efforts”. James Sietstra, Totient, USA.
“BioSample Hub plays a critical role in connecting with biobank worldwide. I particularly appreciate the nice design and the intuitiveness of the platform”. Ninon Guichard, Galapagos, France.