The Biospecimen Accessioning and Processing Core at Mayo Clinic provides biorepositories and biospecimen processing and storage using the highest precision and latest technology.

Overview

The Biospecimen Accessioning and Processing (BAP) Core provides exceptional biorepositories and biospecimen processing and storage using the highest precision and latest technology.

The BAP Core provides investigators with pre-analytical processing and storage for a variety of biospecimen types to support the eventual translation of scientific discoveries into clinical practice. Support for research comes through these services:

  • Support for setting up study-specific infrastructures needed for biospecimen collection, processing and routing.
  • Accessioning and processing.
  • Nucleic acid extractions (DNA and RNA), plating and peripheral blood mononuclear cell isolation and cryopreservation.
  • Bodily fluid processing for microbiome (including DNA extraction).
  • Storage, shipping and sample collection kit assembly.

The BAP Core is fully automated and highly scalable for virtually all of the processes utilized; automation includes sample sorters, robotic liquid handlers for blood processing and aliquoting (including plasma, serum, urine, buffy coat and red blood cells), nucleic acid extractions, DNA plating and sample storage. The BAP Core provides a range of storage solutions, including conventional freezers with a temperature of 80°C below zero, liquid nitrogen freezers and robotically controlled high-capacity freezers that are maintained at a temperature of 80°C below zero.

The BAP Core is part of Mayo Clinic BioServices, which also provides highly curated and annotated specimens from the Mayo Clinic Biobank for research purposes. The Mayo Clinic Biobank is a unique collection of health information and biological samples derived from blood. The BAP and Pathology Research Core provide a broad array of high-quality pre-analytic services across Mayo Clinic's campuses in Minnesota, Florida and Arizona.

Electronic biospecimen accessioning and tracking, combined with a broad range of specimen processing services, have created a powerful, synergistic resource for supporting the translational, epidemiologic, and basic research programs of Mayo Clinic faculty and staff and investigators and research collaborators outside Mayo Clinic. For more information, please contact the core.