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Updated: May 28, 2025
Creation and Maintenance of a Living Biobank - How We Do It
Published on: April 10, 2021
Establishment of a National Surgical Tissue Biobank for Pediatric Crohn's Disease: An Implementation Feasibility
E Paul Lerner1, Nazanin Arjomand Fard2, John Maringa Githaka3
1Department of Surgery, Division of General Surgery, University of Alberta, 2D2.01 Walter MacKenzie Centre, 8440-112 St NW, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2B7, Canada; Women and Children's Health Research Institute, University of Alberta, 5-083 Edmonton Clinic Health Academy (ECHA), 11405 87 Avenue NW, Edmonton, AB, T6G 1C9, Canada; Centre of Excellence for Gastrointestinal Inflammation and Immunity Research (CEGIIR), Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, 116 Street and 85 Avenue, 7-142 Katz Group Rexall Centre, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2R3, Canada.
Insights
Establishing a national biobank for pediatric Crohn's disease (CD) surgery is feasible. This initiative enables crucial research into CD pathogenesis using high-quality tissue samples for translational studies.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology and Hepatology
- Pediatric Surgery
- Translational Research
Background:
- Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic gastrointestinal inflammatory condition often requiring surgery in children.
- The exact pathogenesis of CD, involving microbial, genetic, and environmental factors, remains unknown.
- Multicenter surgical biobanking is essential for advancing CD research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish a framework for multicenter surgical biobanking of pediatric Crohn's disease (CD) tissue.
- To evaluate the feasibility of this biobanking initiative using CONSORT guidelines.
- To demonstrate the quality of collected tissue for translational research.
Main Methods:
- Surgically resected intestinal tissue, mesenteric fat, and lymph nodes were collected from pediatric CD patients (5-17.2 years).
- Tissue was preserved in formalin and RNAlater, then shipped to a central laboratory.
- Feasibility assessed via protocol adherence, recruitment, and tissue viability.
Main Results:
- Tissue collected from 18 patients across seven Canadian children's hospitals since 2023.
- Biobank on track to collect 30-50% of eligible yearly cases.
- Proof-of-concept RNA sequencing identified 560 genes differentiating inflamed from non-inflamed bowel.
Conclusions:
- A national biobank for pediatric CD surgical resections is feasible for translational research.
- Protocols are sufficient for collecting research-quality tissue for CD pathogenesis studies.
Background:
Crohn's disease (CD) is a lifelong gastrointestinal inflammatory condition that often requires surgery, particularly for patients diagnosed in childhood. CD has been linked to a combination of microbial, genetic, and environmental factors, but pathogenesis remains unknown. We outline a framework for multicenter surgical biobanking across a large geographic area, required to enable meaningful research, and evaluate feasibility using the 2016 Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) extension to randomized pilot and feasibility trials. We also share proof-of-concept RNA sequencing and immunohistochemistry results demonstrating adequacy to generate high-quality translational results.
Methods:
CD patients (5-17.2 years) scheduled for intestinal resection were included. Intra-abdominal sepsis was excluded. Surgeons from 10 Canadian children's hospitals underwent virtual training on tissue collection. Bowel, mesenteric fat, and lymph nodes were collected intraoperatively, fixed in formalin and RNAlater, and shipped overnight to a single lab. Feasibility was determined by protocol adherence, study recruitment efficacy, and tissue viability.
Results:
Tissue has been collected from 18 patients at seven sites since the study launched in 2023. The biobank is on track to bank 30-50 % of the total estimated eligible yearly case volume. Adherence to shipping protocols was impacted by the day of the week of the operation and by shipping office closures. Proof-of-concept immunohistochemistry demonstrated high-quality multiplex images. RNA sequencing identified 560 genes discriminating between inflamed and non-inflamed bowel.
Conclusions:
Establishing a national biobank for surgically resected pediatric CD is feasible for translational investigations of CD pathogenesis. Preliminary experiments demonstrate functional protocols sufficient to collect research-quality tissue.
Level Of Evidence:
Prognosis Study - Level IV.
