Why is complete data of human tissue biospecimens important?

Human tissue biospecimens, such as blood, tissue, and other biological samples, are essential for biomedical research, particularly in the development of novel treatments.¹

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Interest in these biospecimens has grown substantially due to their crucial role in advancing biomedical care and facilitating the increasing adoption of precision medicine in clinical practice. ²

Precision medicine combines patient data and disease characteristics to develop more targeted and effective treatments.² While patient data has always played a vital role in biomedical research, recent studies emphasize that the quality of tissue biospecimen samples can significantly influence the development of new therapeutics.²

A study conducted by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) revealed that poor-quality biospecimens caused 60 % of researchers to doubt the validity of their results and impeded the research efforts of 81 % of survey participants.³

As precision medicine becomes more prevalent in modern healthcare, improving the quality and accuracy of human biospecimen data used in research is essential. This article discusses the significance of comprehensive human tissue biospecimen data and how standardizing data collection and storage procedures can improve research outcomes.

Basic data: The foundations of a complete dataset

The complete dataset of a human tissue biospecimen begins with several essential "basic data" parameters. These include details about the sample source, collection methods, storage conditions, and donor information for each collected sample.⁴

Basic data is frequently referred to as "foundational" because accurate collection and storage are critical for ensuring sample quality in biomedical research and precision medicine.⁴ This foundational information provides the background needed to achieve consistent and precise results across different laboratories.

When basic data is incomplete, it can lead to inaccurate findings, wasted resources, and incorrect conclusions drawn from poor-quality samples.⁴ These data gaps can weaken the reliability of both current and future studies, damaging the integrity of the research. Foundational data is also key to maintaining result reproducibility, as it defines crucial parameters that reduce the likelihood of errors in future experiments.

Why standardizing metadata is essential

While basic data is essential for defining the parameters of a study, it should not be the sole form of data included in research. Metadata is also critical for ensuring the reproducibility and accuracy of results.

Metadata covers external conditions during data collection, such as light exposure, CO₂ and O₂ levels, and environmental humidity.⁵ Without proper documentation of these factors, there is a high risk of compromising reproducibility across studies.

Studies have demonstrated that fluctuations in humidity and temperature can disturb laboratory results, as environmental factors might influence the degree of correlation between datasets. This emphasizes the need to include both basic data and metadata to ensure the validity of research findings.^6,7

The reliability of collected data can be at risk if storage equipment is not consistently monitored and maintained.

Hu et al. conducted a large-scale analysis of metadata in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). They discovered major concerns with metadata quality, indicating a global challenge of inconsistent and non-reproducible research.⁸

The study found that key information such as contact details, study design, and outcome measures were frequently absent from GEO records.⁸

Similarly, data mining by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) discovered that a considerable amount of this metadata is frequently missing or insufficient, resulting in analysis mistakes and a loss in reproducibility.

The study found that key information such as contact details, study design, and outcome measures were frequently absent from GEO records.⁸

Metadata should be standardized and consistently applied across studies to enhance data quality and reproducibility. Implementing uniform approaches for data collection, storage, and labeling will ensure that results more accurately reflect native conditions, thus providing higher-quality biospecimen data for research purposes.

Importance of high-quality tissue biospecimen data for your research

Collecting and storing comprehensive data on human biospecimens is essential for generating high-quality, reproducible results that can greatly enhance research outcomes. Recent advances in therapies for rare genetic disorders underscore the significance of high-quality tissue biospecimen data in precision medicine research.

For instance, studies using human tissue samples in breast cancer research led to the discovery of the epidermal growth factor receptor type 2 (HER2) as a key prognostic marker.⁹ This finding enabled the development of the anti-HER2 antibody, Herceptin, which has since become a widely used treatment.⁹

Since this research involved collaboration across multiple laboratories and countries, the standardization and optimization of biospecimen data were crucial to its success.

As precision medicine advances, improving the consistency of bioresources becomes critical, relying heavily on complete tissue biospecimen data to drive innovation—a role where BioIVT can make a significant impact.

How BioIVT can help you optimize your research

BioIVT plays an important role in guiding both basic data collection and metadata storage, guaranteeing that tissue biospecimen samples meet the highest quality standards. By providing standardized data collection and storage protocols, BioIVT ensures biospecimen data is consistent, reliable, and of the highest standard—critical for achieving robust and reproducible research outcomes.

High-quality tissue biospecimen data helps researchers avoid hidden costs associated with poor-quality samples. Recent analysis shows that low-quality specimens can lead to hidden costs of up to $30,000 due to failed assays and the need for rapid replacements.¹⁰

By utilizing complete datasets and BioIVT’s services to source premium-quality tissue biospecimens, researchers can significantly reduce these expenses over time.

BioIVT additionally customizes solutions to meet the customer's research demands, allowing you the time and quality to improve your research. Contact a member of the BioIVT team now to learn more about how BioIVT services can optimize and standardize your sample collecting and storage process.

References and further reading

1. Tarling TE, et al. 2022 The Availability of Human Biospecimens to Support Biomarker Research. Biomark Insights. doi: 10.1177/11772719221091750. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9021506/
2. Michalska-Falkowska A, et al. 2023. Applied Molecular-Based Quality Control of Biobanked Samples for Multi-Omics Approach. Cancers (Basel). doi: 10.3390/cancers15143742. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10378006/
3. Massett HA, et al. 2011 Assessing the need for a standardized cancer HUman Biobank (caHUB): findings from a national survey with cancer researchers. J Natl Cancer Inst Monogrdoi: 10.1093/jncimonographs/lgr007. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21672890/
4. The Crucial Role of Basic Data in Human Biospecimens – BioIVT 2024 https://bioivt.com/blogs/the-crucial-role-of-basic-data-in-human-biospecimens
5. Ulrich H, et al. 2022 Understanding the Nature of Metadata: Systematic Review. J Med Internet Resdoi: 10.2196/25440. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35014967/
6. The Case of the Missing Data: Metadata – Elemental Machines 2016 .https://elementalmachines.com/blog/metadata
7. Obermeyer Z, et al. 2021 Variation in common laboratory test results caused by ambient temperature. Med. doi: 10.1016/j.medj.2021.11.003. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35590148/#:~:text=Findings%3A%2051%20of%2075%20assays,density%20lipoprotein%20%5BHDL%5D%20and%20decreased
8. Miron L et al. 2020 Obstacles to the reuse of study metadata in ClinicalTrials.gov. Sci Data. doi: 10.1038/s41597-020-00780-z. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7749162/
9. Bledsoe MJ et al. 2022 The Use of Human Tissues for Research: What Investigators Need to Know. Altern Lab Anim. doi: 10.1177/02611929221107933 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9427667/
10. The True Cost of Poor-Quality Specimens” – BioIVT Accessed August 2024. https://info.bioivt.com/true-cost-of-poor-quality-specimens?_gl=1*1289elv*_ga*NDMyNDU3Nzg0LjE3MjQxNTAwMzQ.*_ga_BZ5KSW4QR1*MTcyNDI1MjA3NS4yLjEuMTcyNDI1MjE5NS42MC4wLjA.*_gcl_au*MTMwNDg4OTU2LjE3MjQxNTAwNDE.

About BioIVT

BioIVT, formerly BioreclamationIVT, is a leading global provider of high-quality biological specimens and value-added services. We specialize in control and disease state samples including human and animal tissues, cell products, blood and other biofluids. Our unmatched portfolio of clinical specimens directly supports precision medicine research and the effort to improve patient outcomes by coupling comprehensive clinical data with donor samples.

Our Research Services team works collaboratively with clients to provide in vitro hepatic modeling solutions. And as the world’s premier supplier of ADME-Tox model systems, including hepatocytes and subcellular fractions, BioIVT enables scientists to better understand the pharmacokinetics and drug metabolism of newly discovered compounds and the effects on disease processes. By combining our technical expertise, exceptional customer service, and unparalleled access to biological specimens, BioIVT serves the research community as a trusted partner in ELEVATING SCIENCE^®.

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