The Perth Children’s Hospital Tumour Biobank was established with a small philanthropic donation in 2010. Usually between 5-15 new participants consent to donate tumour tissue for research purposes per year. Banked tissue includes fresh frozen brain and other solid tumour from 100 participants stored in liquid nitrogen – brain tumour tissue types include medulloblastoma, ependymoma, diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), primitive neuroectodermal tumours (PNETs), pineoblastoma, pilocytic astrocytoma, craniopharyngioma, glioma, atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumour (AT/RT). Prior to 2010, collected tumour tissue was usually stored in RNAlater®. In addition to banked tissue, in-vitro cell-lines and patient-derived xenograft mouse models are established for medulloblastoma, ependymoma and high grade gliomas. There are also a limited number of other solid tumour types including teratoma, thyroid carcinoma, liposarcoma and plexiform neurofibroma.
For more information, please contact Prof Nick Gottardo (Nick.Gottardo@health.wa.gov.au)
If you want to find out more about the Perth Children’s Hospital Tumour Bank visit our website