The Pattern Biobank: Turning Patient Contributions Into Research Progress
Our biobank is more than a place to store tissue; it is a resource that can help unlock the mysteries of rare cancers.
Rare cancers present a unique challenge to researchers: fewer patients, fewer tissue samples and lack of access to those patients and samples. Without enough high-quality samples, it can be difficult for scientists to identify patterns, understand how these cancers develop, and discover better ways to diagnose and treat them.
That is why RCRF established the Pattern Biobank. It enables us to collect and carefully preserve donated samples so these valuable resources can be made available to qualified researchers when they need them. Each sample represents an opportunity to learn something new.
Our goal isn’t to build a large biobank that has samples stored for the long term, but to provide a way to preserve samples temporarily until we can find the right research homes, where they’ll be utilized to unlock discoveries that can be shared broadly across the research spectrum.
From One Patient to Many Discoveries
By studying samples from many patients, researchers can compare tumors, identify similarities and differences, discover potential biomarkers, and investigate why some cancers respond to treatments while others do not.
The more samples researchers can study, the greater their ability to recognize patterns that might otherwise remain hidden.
For rare cancers, this is especially important. A researcher studying a cancer that affects only a small number of people may struggle to obtain enough samples to conduct meaningful research. RCRF helps bridge that gap by bringing together samples that might otherwise remain scattered among hospitals and institutions.
Why We Partnered With Precision for Medicine
RCRF intentionally chose Precision for Medicine as its biobanking partner rather than housing the collection within a single academic institution. Academic biobanks can be valuable research resources, but samples may become associated with one institution, limited to specific research programs, or subject to institutional policies and priorities. In some settings, the institution may retain ownership or control over the samples, making it more difficult for patients and advocates to have a voice in how their contributions are stewarded and shared.
Our partnership with Precision for Medicine provides RCRF with a centralized, professionally managed biobank that is designed around the needs of the rare cancer community. RCRF governs the collection ensuring patient contributions remain focused on accelerating discoveries for patients, while Precision for Medicine brings the specialized infrastructure, expertise, quality systems, and secure storage capabilities needed to preserve and manage these invaluable specimens at scale.
Most importantly, the pattern biobank is built on the generosity of patients and families who choose to contribute their tissue to research. Their contributions create a lasting legacy—helping turn individual experiences with cancer into knowledge that can benefit future patients and in some cases even benefit themselves.