Status: 颁翱惭笔尝贰罢贰顿听(Original Timeline: ) August听2011 - September 2012听(Extended Timeline: ) August 2011 - August 2014
Long term (i.e. 20 years or even more) storage of biological specimens can be extremely costly to a听University especially if the storage requires the use of freezers. Not only do such freezers take up听valuable and scarce space but they cost approximately $1000/year per unit in energy expenses alone,听not to mention that some of them emit chemicals that are harmful to the environment. In a research听intensive university and particularly in the Faculty of Medicine where there is a lot of research using听DNA and/or RNA it is of great interest to investigate the alternative to freezing which involves a new听technology for room temperature storage. Two companies, namely GenVault (now a part of Integenex)听and Biomatrica have both come up with methodologies (Blow 2009) that eliminate the need for freezer听storage of these materials. Although such technologies are relatively recent (i.e. there is not a long term听experience) the stability of DNA at room temperature and the ease in using it in a number of different听applications post storage is impressive and these companies even project stability for the DNA at听elevated temperatures such as 60oC (for 30 years, Biomatica) or 76oC (10 years, GenVault) (Wan 2010).听
This proposal for a pilot program is multifaceted initially to gather information听about the needs of our investigators, discuss the pros and cons for different biobanking and lab听information management systems (LIMS) options, run one or more test cases and then a dissemination听and education phase that is campus wide. We will involve students at multiple steps as it is the students听and post-doctoral fellows that largely conduct the bench work and are our future researchers. Using听this approach it is anticipated that we will be able to educate the current biobanking trainees as well as听the next generation of purchasing decision makers on the value of 鈥済reen鈥� and sustainable approaches听in the lab.
By eliminating 20% of each the refrigerators, -20掳C freezers, and -80掳C freezers, McGill could save approximately $15,000 annually for these two buildings alone. By storing biological samples at ambient temperature, which we have demonstrated to be a reliable option, this could easily be achieved.
听
For further information conerning this project, or to get in touch with its members, please contact the krista.houser [at] mcgill.ca (SPF Administration Team).
