Queen Square Brain Bank and NeuroResource- tissue collection/research

• Research type

  Research Tissue Bank

• IRAS ID

  321328

• Research summary

  Queen Square Brain Bank for Neurological Disorders (QSBB) and NeuroResource (NR)

• REC name

  London - Central Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  23/LO/0044

• Date of REC Opinion

  1 Mar 2023

• REC opinion

  Favourable Opinion

• Data collection arrangements

  The current collection of the Queen Square Brain Bank (QSBB) consists of 2437 cases with neurological (mostly neurodegenerative) diseases, in addition to 286 control brains, 2723 cases in total. QSBB holds one of the largest European collections of Parkinson’s disease and progressive supranuclear palsy and the world’s largest collection of multiple system atrophy. The collection also includes an increasing number of cases with dementia. Longitudinal follow-up data are available in all dementia cases and the majority of movement disorder cases.
  The collection of NeuroResource (NR) holds samples from 432 tissue donors with multiple sclerosis, motor neurone disease, stroke, and other neurological diseases.
  All tissues held at Queen Square Brain Bank and NeuroResource have documented consent from registered donors for collection, storage and use in research.

• Research programme

  Queen Square Brain Bank for Neurological Disorders and NeuroResource are internationally renowned for provision of high quality tissue to support biomedical research into neurodegenerative disease. Both brain banks are housed within University College London premises near Queen Square, London. Potential donors register on the donation schemes during life. Brain, spinal cord, dura, cerebrospinal fluid, skin and blood are collected from donors nationwide who have had a variety of neurological and neurodegenerative diseases. Donations from neurologically normal individuals are also encouraged to provide valuable comparison with the diseased state. Tissue samples and data are stored in a secure, HTA licenced facility. The focus of the unique archive at QSBB was originally on parkinsonian movement disorders although for nearly two decades there has been a growing specialised collection of dementia tissue including frontotemporal lobar degeneration, early onset and familial Alzheimer’s disease, donated from patients seen at the Dementia Research Centre at The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London. NeuroResource provides researchers with tissues for a wide spectrum of immunological, pharmacological and biochemical studies on multiple sclerosis, motor neurone disease, stroke, other neurological diseases and also on the human nervous system without disease. Accurate diagnosis and classification of all tissue is essential before it can be released to the scientific community for research. Material from Queen Square Brain Bank and NeuroResource underpins many high calibre research projects at University College London and in other institutions globally, which has led to its reputation for being at the forefront of brain banking for neurodegenerative disease. Both Research Tissue Banks are empowered to approve research projects without the need for researchers in the UK to seek ethical approval for individual projects.

• Storage license

  12198

• RTBTitle

  Queen Square Brain Bank for Neurological Disorders (QSBB) and NeuroResource (NR)

• Establishment organisation

  University College London (UCL) Queen Square Institute of Neurology

• Establishment organisation address

  1 Wakefield Street

  London

  WC1N 1PJ