The Ontario Tumour Bank (OTB) provides a viable solution for cancer researchers who often face challenges in obtaining the quality and number of biospecimens required for their studies. In doing so, OTB accelerates cancer research for the development of better patient diagnostics and therapies.

Vision

Scientific and technological advances in genomics, proteomics, and bioinformatics are providing new insight into the cause and treatment of cancer. The analysis of human tumours offers academic and industry researchers a window into the molecular and genetic world of cancer.

Through the analysis of tumours, researchers have learned about the molecular makeup of tumours, discovered biomarkers that are characteristic of tumours and identified genes responsible for specific cancers. This knowledge creates exciting possibilities for the creation of new diagnostic and prognostic tools and for the identification of targets for new drug therapies.

In order for the potential of the genomics revolution to be realized, research scientists and clinicians must analyze the molecular makeup of large numbers of human tumour tissues. Although researchers can use models of the disease such as cell lines and animal tumours, at some point it becomes essential to study human tissues to understand how a disease like cancer develops in humans. Thus, researchers require access to collections of well-preserved and well-characterized tumour tissue accompanied by high-quality clinical data.

Biospecimens are the key to the development and testing of next-generation diagnostics and treatments. OTB makes this type of research possible by providing the materials needed to drive high-impact studies.