We've a number of research groups (e.g. ones working with HIV, prion, some
GenMod stuff) where it may be appropriate to store serum long term for use
in future investigation of possible lab-acquired infection etc.
Currently serum is collected & stored by the path labs used by their campus
OH Clinic. However, I've concerns over whether, if we needed to pull some
out from storage in 10-20 years time whether:
1. We'll be able to find it
2. The sample will still be suitable to test.
At least one path lab manager shares my concern over keeping track. They
store large quantities of sera from Trust staff: after needlesticks etc &
ours just get stored along with them & information held in a register.
One of our research groups believes that -70C isn't good enough to store
their sera. The marker protein that's the likely candidate for a test for
their work needs liquid N2 storage to prevent degradation.
In these days of market economics, path labs will come & go over the
decades.
I could collect & store with the research groups themselves, but they'll
also move, come & go as funding & scientific fashions change.
I could collect & store in my own unit (but I don't kid myself that an
in-house OH service is sacrosanct) & I imagine it'll be very expensive in
terms of my budget to purchase & maintain storage + back-up.
* How do others handle this?
* What are your thresholds for serum-save?
* Why do you do it?
* Does anyone believe it is really worthwhile, or is it a sterile
bottom-covering activity?
* Has anyone ever used saved serums for later testing
* If so, did it reveal anything worthwhile?
(This will be cross-posted to other discussion groups. Apologies to those
who receive more than one copy)
Dr. Alan Swann, BM, AFOM
Director of Occupational Health
Occupational Health Service
Imperial College Health Centre
Watts Way
London
SW7 1 LU
Tel: +44 (20) 7594 9385
Fax: +44 (20) 7594 9407
http://www.ad.ic.ac.uk/occ_health/ <http://www.ad.ic.ac.uk/occ_health/>
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