The MCRC Biobank: Turning Tissue Donations into Tomorrow's Treatments
By Adesewa Adebisi, PhD Cancer Sciences student and Science Communications Ambassador
The vital role of tissue donation in cancer research
Every year, thousands of cancer patients treated at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust and Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust choose to donate tissue samples to the Manchester Cancer Research Centre Biobank. These donations form the foundation of cutting-edge cancer research in Manchester, helping scientists understand how cancer begins, evolves, and responds to treatment – and ultimately how to treat it more effectively.
How the MCRC Biobank works
When patients undergo surgery or have biopsies, surplus tissue is often available, which patients can choose to donate to scientific research. Other samples, such as blood and urine may be provided by patients too. These samples are collected, processed, and preserved in our laboratories at the MCRC Biobank, which is based at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust.
The MCRC Biobank holds over 230,000 samples from nearly 30,000 patients, with a collection including:
- Tumour and normal tissue from patients with solid tumours
- Bone marrow samples from patients with blood disorders e.g. leukaemia
- Blood samples
- Urine samples
Some samples are preserved in formalin and embedded in wax, allowing long‑term storage at room temperature. Others are stored at ultra‑low temperatures to maintain their integrity for years. In some cases, samples are collected from patients and delivered directly to researchers for use in approved projects.
All samples are linked to anonymised clinical data, including diagnosis and treatment history. This combination of biological material and medical information creates a uniquely powerful resource for cancer researchers across Greater Manchester and beyond.
When patients undergo surgery or have biopsies, surplus tissue is often available, which patients can choose to donate to research. Other samples, such as blood and urine may also be provided.
All activity within the MCRC Biobank is carried out under strict regulatory and ethical oversight. This includes robust requirements for consent, sample handling, traceability, storage, and disposal.
The standards behind the MCRC Biobank
All activity within the MCRC Biobank is carried out under strict regulatory and ethical oversight. The Biobank operates under the Human Tissue Authority (HTA) Licence held by The Christie, which sets the national standards for the safe, respectful and lawful use of human tissue in research. This includes robust requirements for consent, sample handling, traceability, storage, and disposal.
Every sample is managed through audited processes, with full chain‑of‑custody records. Researchers can only access samples through approved applications that have undergone review, ensuring that donated tissue is used responsibly and for high‑value research.
This governance framework protects patients, safeguards sample integrity, and ensures that every contribution is used to advance high‑quality, ethically sound cancer research.
From storage to scientific breakthrough
Donated samples enable researchers to answer critical questions about cancer. Why do some patients respond well to a particular treatment while others don’t? Can we identify biomarkers that predict disease progression? Are there new therapeutic targets still to be discovered?
The MCRC Biobank provides the biological evidence needed to tackle these challenges. Researchers can study how tumours evolve, test potential treatments in the laboratory, and validate findings across large patient cohorts. Tissue samples act as the ‘engine room’ for modern cancer discovery, driving advances in immunotherapy, targeted treatments, and precision medicine.
Diverse samples are fundamental to delivering personalised, equitable cancer care. When our biobank reflects the full diversity of our patients, the discoveries we make are more robust, more representative, and more likely to benefit every community we serve.
Jane Rogan MSc MBA
Business Manager – Manchester Cancer Research Centre Biobank
A conversation about representation
On World Cancer Day 2026 (Wednesday 4th February), we had the opportunity to host Can-Survive UK at the MCRC. Can-Survive UK provides culturally tailored support to African, Caribbean, and other diverse communities affected by cancer. Their visit built on ongoing conversations about who is represented in our research and the barriers to achieving meaningful diversity in biobanking.
Although the MCRC Biobank is one of the most comprehensive cancer biobanks in the UK, there is underrepresentation of some groups. Current biobank demographics show:
- 77% of donors identify as White
- 6% are from Black and Asian backgrounds
- Younger age groups (16-39 years) demonstrate higher diversity than older cohorts
- Nearly 20% of ethnicity data is missing or unknown
These figures highlight both progress and persistent gaps in representation – and the need for continued engagement.
The visit with CanSurvive UK reinforced that trust is built through listening and transparency. By working alongside communities who have historically been underrepresented in research, we can ensure that the science we deliver genuinely serves the people it is meant to help.
Jane Rogan MSc MBA
Business Manager – Manchester Cancer Research Centre Biobank
Why diversity in research matters
Cancer affects different populations in different ways. Black men face twice the prostate cancer risk compared to white men. Certain aggressive breast cancer subtypes occur more frequently in younger Black women. Asian populations show distinct patterns for gastric and liver cancers.
When research relies too heavily on samples from a single demographic group, the treatments developed may not work equally well for everyone. Diverse biobank collections are therefore essential to ensure that discoveries translate into effective, equitable cancer care across all communities.
Moving forward together
Partnerships with organisations like Can-Survive UK help bridge the gap between laboratory science and lived experience. By building trust, listening to community concerns, and addressing barriers to participation, the MCRC Biobank is working towards research that is inclusive from the outset.
Every tissue donation is an investment in the future – not only for individual patients, but for all communities affected by cancer. By diversifying the Biobank, researchers move closer to discoveries that benefit everyone.
