Technologies

Biological Resource Center (BRC)

 

 

The Biological Resource Center (BRC) constitutes a unique storage unit for any biological samples generated and/or used by the IDMIT platform. Currently, we propose different storage conditions: -20°C, -80°C, -150°C and room temperature, together with “BATLab”, a web-based Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS), designed to store, integrate and visualize heterogeneous datasets. BATLab within the BRC is used to ensure both the traceability of samples and the security of data. Different control systems are used to detect freezers failures. A team is at your service to organize the shipments and the receptions of samples. BRC management is  carried out by our partner Oncodesign Services.


Storage conditions/capacities:


The BRC has the capacity to stock the samples in diverse conditions and environments:

  • -20°C freezers
  • -80°C freezers
  • -150°C freezers
  • Gaseous nitrogen room (from 2017)
  • Room temperature

Currently, the BRC has a storage capacity of 500 000 samples in -80°C freezers and 30 000 samples in -150°C freezers.
From 2017, our overall storage capacity will be superior to one million samples with: 940 000, 65 000 and 32 000 samples at  -80°C, -150°C and in our gaseous nitrogen room, respectively.
Classically, gaseous nitrogen storage is devoted to PBMC and other cells and our capacity of storage will progressively increase over 32 000 samples.

 Security:

Owing to our location within the restricted and controlled access CEA Research center from Fontenay-aux-Roses (South suburb of Paris) our BRC will benefit of a permanent safety control system. All our equipment (-80°C, -150°C freezers and next our gaseous nitrogen room are /will be connected to permanent temperature control alarms by our local safety staff.
In each storage room, several empty freezers are kept available to permit a quick and safe transfer of the samples in case of any electric outage or malfunction. Note that the entirety of the center is equipped of a secondary rescue electric system.
From 2017, a temperature monitoring system will be implemented for quality and metrology.

Traceability:

The homemade database “BATLab” (see “FlowCytech”) manages data linked to the samples. It allows the monitoring of samples all along their presence in the BRC. In case of sample-cession, the corresponding data are stored. The access to the database is ensured by a login and a password.

Quality:

From 2017, the BRC will act to obtain the quality certification ISO 9001, that is a specific French norm for the Biological Resource Center.

Biological Resource Center access:

Owing to the nature of your institution (academic or private), of the type of contract (collaboration, service) and of the origin of the funding (regional, national, international) different type of access and cost to the BRC facility of IDMIT are proposed. However, The IDMIT collaborators will have privileged access to the BRC facilities, when on the other hand a storage service is also proposed for public or private institutions that wish to stock their samples.

Please contact us to establish the more adapted storage and financial conditions regarding your project:

roger.le-grand@cea.fr
frederic.ducancel@cea.fr

nlegrand@oncodesign-services.com