NIH Biospecimen Interest Group to Sponsor Seminar on Thursday, May 31st, 2012
The NIH Biospecimens Interest Group will sponsor a seminar, "Rare Diseases: The challenges presented by Biospecimens, Patient Registries, Electronic Health Record, and Bioethics", on May 31st from 1:00 - 3:00 pm on the NIH campus, Building 10, Lipsett Auditorium, with live videocast at http://videocast.nih.gov/.

2012 BRN Symposium Videocast now available
Videocasts from February's BRN Symposium are now available for viewing. For more information, please go here.

Collaboration Opportunities with the Cancer Human Biobank (caHUB) at NCI
For more information please go here.

Report for OBBR Hosted Workshop on Biospecimen Reference Sets and Drug-Diagnostic Codevelopment Now Available
OBBR is pleased to release its report on the Workshop on Biospecimen Reference Sets and Drug-Diagnostic Codevelopment, held in January 2011. For more information, please click here.

Innovative Molecular Analysis Technologies (IMAT) Program Reissues Funding Announcement
The NCI has reissued funding announcements for the Innovative Molecular Analysis Technologies (IMAT) program. The IMAT program is aimed at the inception, development, integration, and application of novel and emerging technologies in the support of cancer research, treatment, diagnosis, and prevention. Read the notice for details.

Workshop Summary on Return of Research Results Available
OBBR convened a workshop to provide recommendations concerning the conditions and processes for releasing research results to human research participants who contribute biospecimens. Three areas were examined: diagnostic discrepancies and incidental findings, results from clinical studies, and results from basic research studies. Read the publication

New OBBR Brochure Available
OBBR has developed a comprehensive brochure that details the critical role of biospecimens in cancer research, OBBR's role in setting biospecimen standards to ensure high quality, and the benefits of a national, centralized biospecimens resource to address the current shortage of high-quality biospecimens necessary to advance medicine. Read the OBBR brochure

caHUB to Lead Biospecimen Accrual for GTEx
The National Cancer Institute's (NCI) cancer Human Biobank (caHUB) will lead the biospecimen acquisition sub-initiative for the NIH Genotype-Tissue Express (GTEx) project. GTEx seeks to determine how genetic variation controls gene expression and its relation to disease. Read the announcement

OBBR in the News
The work of the OBBR has been featured prominently in several national publications. Read more