Piscataway, NJ – Sampled, an integrated analytical laboratory and biorepository, has partnered with Lighthouse Lab Services to provide scalable laboratory solutions for clients across the biomedical sector.

Research and clinical laboratories are under increasing pressure to deliver more results while working with tighter budgets. Growing a laboratory under these constraints poses significant challenges. Acquiring new laboratory facilities and equipment can stretch budgets, while a lack of resources makes it more challenging to maintain standards and add new services. These factors threaten operations and laboratory performance, with knock-on effects for downstream clients, diagnostic applications, and patients.

Lighthouse Lab Services offers a range of services to help laboratories get started, run efficiently, and expand their operations. Their expertise spans crucial biomedical areas, such as toxicology, pathology, molecular diagnostics, and related fields. Lighthouse Lab Services helps clients achieve efficiency through expert consulting across key areas, such as equipment procurement, recruitment, software, and quality and compliance solutions.

The partnership between Sampled and Lighthouse Lab Services will give clients access to our comprehensive sample processing, storage, multiomics, and cellular services. Outsourcing through this partnership will enable laboratories to scale up their operations without incurring excess capital expenditures for laboratory space and equipment. This will enable labs to grow their capabilities rapidly while controlling costs.

About Sampled

Sampled is a fully integrated laboratory and biorepository with industry-leading storage, sample management, multiomics, cellular services, and custom clinical kitting. Founded in 1999 as RUCDR at Rutgers University, Sampled operates facilities in the US and UK and is CAP accredited and CLIA licensed. Sampled is committed to providing the highest quality sample storage, processing, and analysis services that enable researchers to make new discoveries and advance human health. When combined with state-of-the-art biobanking facilities, these capabilities provide comprehensive scientific solutions that speed time to quality data.

Media Contact

Caroline Mitchell, PhD

Director, Content & Creative Strategy, Sampled

communications@sampled.com

Piscataway, NJ – Sampled, an integrated analytical laboratory and biorepository, has partnered with the European Bank for Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (EBiSC) as the sole distributor of their stem cell line catalog to US researchers.

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are the bedrock of many modern research applications. Researchers use them to generate precise disease models for basic research and more precise drug screening applications. iPSC-based therapies are already showing promise in clinical trials for diseases spanning oncology, ophthalmology, hematology/immunology, and neurology. iPSCs are an enduring asset for scientific research, growing in relevance as new technologies and infrastructures facilitate their implementation.

EBiSC is a centralized biobank that maintains iPSCs and their associated data for use by both non-profit and commercial organizations. They currently store over 900 cell lines representing more than 40 diseases and address common challenges facing iPSC researchers by maintaining important GDPR regulatory and legal information. EBiSC performs functional and phenotypic characterization of derived cell lines, which helps to streamline research efforts and reduces the experimental burden on research teams. A highlight of the repository is the EBiSC-NEUR1 iPSC neurons, a doxycycline-inducible cell model that allows researchers to study diverse neuronal lineages. The EBiSC catalog, available at www.EBiSC.org, provides a comprehensive list of available cell lines and associated data.

Sampled has partnered with EBiSC as the sole distributor of their iPSC catalog to US researchers, including EBiSC-NEUR1 iPSC neurons, to support diverse applications across broad therapeutic areas. This partnership improves accessibility to important cell lines and builds on the existing cell line catalogs that Sampled distributes for organizations such as the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Stem Cell Center.

Sampled offers a suite of iPSC services, including iPSC reprogramming from fibroblasts and lymphocytes, gene editing, expansion, storage, and quality control. Comprehensive multiomics offerings enable on-site analysis of iPSC lines, spanning genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and more.

“I am thrilled to announce the partnership between Sampled and EBiSC to make their valuable iPSC collection available to investigators in the US. We consider this an important and essential addition the stem cell line repository offerings Sampled already provides.”

Mike Sheldon, PhD

Senior Director Scientific Affairs, Sampled

About Sampled

Sampled is a fully integrated laboratory and biorepository with industry-leading storage, sample management, multiomics, cellular services, and custom clinical kitting. Founded in 1999 as RUCDR at Rutgers University, Sampled operates facilities in the US and UK and is CAP accredited and CLIA licensed. Sampled is committed to providing the highest quality sample storage, processing, and analysis services that enable researchers to make new discoveries and advance human health. When combined with state-of-the-art biobanking facilities, these capabilities provide comprehensive scientific solutions that speed time to quality data.

Media Contact

Caroline Mitchell, PhD

Director, Content & Creative Strategy, Sampled

communications@sampled.com

ISBER’s Mission and Global Impact

Mike Thurogood: Can you provide an overview of ISBER’s mission and how it supports the global biobanking community?

Dana Cooper: “ISBER is dedicated to advancing the expertise and quality of biorepositories and biobanking science worldwide. We support the global biobanking community by fostering collaboration, creating education and training opportunities, providing a forum for the dissemination of state-of-the-art policies, processes, and research findings, and offering an international showcase for innovative technologies, products, and services.”

Key Components of ISBER’s Best Practices for Repositories

Mike Thurogood: What are the key components of ISBER’s Best Practices for Repositories, and how do they enhance the quality and reliability of biobanked samples?

Dana Cooper: “The ISBER Best Practices, Fifth Edition, is the definitive global guide for managing and operating biobanks. These practices are either evidence-based or consensus-based and cover the collection, long-term storage, retrieval, and distribution of specimens. They promote the availability of high-quality biological and environmental specimens for future research. The fifth edition has been significantly revised based on user feedback, and it incorporates the Cryo addendum previously published for the fourth edition.”

Promoting Standardization and Innovation through Collaboration

Mike Thurogood: How does ISBER collaborate with other organizations and institutions to promote standardization and innovation in biobanking?

Dana Cooper: “ISBER is a global organization with membership and contributors from around the world. Our annual and regional meetings feature insights from diverse geographical locations. We collaborate with many biobanking consortia globally, which helps us stay aware of and contribute to the global biobanking community. This international collaboration promotes standardization and innovation in biobanking.”

Addressing Challenges in Biorepositories

Mike Thurogood: What are some common challenges faced by biorepositories today, and how do ISBER’s guidelines help address these issues?

Dana Cooper: “As biobanking grows worldwide, challenges include maintaining quality and standards, recognizing the value of biobanking, and securing systemic support for biobanks. ISBER’s activities and products, such as the Best Practices Fifth Edition and our educational programs, promote quality in biorepository operations and standardize specimen management. This helps biobanks address these challenges effectively.”

Conclusion

Our interview with Dana Cooper, MBA, BKin, CAE, Executive Director of ISBER, highlighted ISBER’s crucial role in advancing global biobanking expertise and quality. ISBER’s comprehensive best practices guide ensures the reliability of biobanked samples, supporting scientific research and medical advancements. Through international collaboration, ISBER promotes standardization and innovation, addressing challenges such as maintaining quality standards and securing systemic support. As a proud long-standing Gold ISBER member, we value ISBER’s significant impact on the biobanking landscape and appreciate Dana Cooper’s insights into this evolving field.

If you have any questions about ISBER or are interested in learning more please visit the ISBER website here.

Olink’s state-of-the-art proteomics technology enables understanding of complex biological pathways and disease markers. Proteomics technology is an important tool for studying diseases, providing crucial insights into their underlying molecular mechanisms. The consistent and highly accurate results produced by Olink’s Proximity Extension Assay (PEA) technology have made it widely recognized and extensively cited in various research fields for protein profiling and biomarker development.

Olink® Certified Service Providers are recognized for their commitment to delivering the highest quality standards, undergoing rigorous training and annual certification using concordance samples.

 “We are proud to be one of the first Olink® Certified Service Providers and believe it highlights our dedication to pioneering health innovations. With this technology we can empower our clients with cutting-edge proteomics research capabilities,” says John DelliSanti, Sampled’s CEO.

 “We are excited that Sampled has joined the Olink® Certified Service Provider Network as it underscores our shared goal of giving customers the highest quality tools for their biomarker discovery research. Sampled has established themselves as a company committed to maintaining the highest standards of data quality and is well-equipped to support their customers with Olink technology” said Mike Irwin, Vice President of Global Sales, Support and Marketing at Olink.

About Sampled, Olink Certified Service Provider

Sampled enable clients to advance human health by leveraging active biological samples through; preservation, immortalization and utilization in comprehensive Multiomics research in the only Global Integrated Analytical Biorepository. Our vision is a world where we make health innovation easier, with a mission for Sampled to be behind every transformative health innovation. Sampled is headquartered in Piscataway, N.J. with labs across the US and the UK and partner labs in the Netherlands, China and Australia.

Infinity BiologiX LLC, Roylance Stability Storage Limited and Roylance Scientific Limited are doing business as Sampled. For more information, please visit www.sampled.com

Olink Explore HT: Specificity and Scalability

Unmatched Specificity

With Olink Explore HT, the specificity in protein measurement takes center stage. It’s designed to accurately measure 5,300+ protein biomarkers with minimal risk of targeting errors or misinterpretation. Key highlights include:

• Industry-leading Specificity: Olink Explore HT’s innovation ensures that you’re focusing on the right targets, minimizing wrong targets, and saving valuable time and money.
• 15-Step Validation Process: Every biomarker undergoes a stringent validation process, assuring the highest quality data you can trust. This robust validation ensures that the data are reliable, precise, and actionable, thereby accelerating the pace of discovery.
• Proximity Extension Assay Technology: The combination of Proximity Extension Assay technology with next-generation sequencing enables higher specificity. This revolutionary method delivers the accuracy needed to understand diseases at the protein level, enabling precise biomarker analysis.

Scalability for Any Project Size

Scalability is a key concern in research, and Olink Explore HT is equipped to address this challenge effectively and quickly. Its scalable design means that you can run projects of any size, with efficiency and without compromising quality.

• 4x Throughput Increase: A significant increase in throughput means that thousands of samples can be processed weekly with just one instrumentation line, making it suitable for both small-scale exploratory studies and large-scale investigations.
• Flexibility and Multiplexing: Its ability to perform at any scale and the improved multiplexing provide the flexibility required to adapt to varying research needs. From small, focused studies to extensive, high-throughput analyses, Olink® Explore HT can handle it all.
• Integration with Cutting-edge Technology: The seamless integration with instruments like SPT Labtech Dragonfly, SPT Labtech Mosquito LV, Illumina Novaseq 6000, and Hamilton Microlab STAR ensures a scalable workflow that adapts to different research requirements.

Simplified Workflow with Cutting-Edge Instruments

Olink Explore HT boasts a simplified workflow that incorporates:

• SPT Labtech Dragonfly: Ensures quick and accurate sample preparation.
• SPT Labtech Mosquito LV: Manages minute volumes with high precision.
• Illumina Novaseq 6000: Offers high-throughput sequencing.
• Hamilton Microlab STAR: Enhances efficiency and precision through automation.

These instruments streamline the entire process, saving time without compromising quality.

What are the key Application Areas?

The key application areas for Olink Explore HT are:

• Biomarker Identification: to support a broad range of disease areas including neurology, virology, oncology and more.
• Drug Discovery & Development: target discovery and clinical development from patient stratification through to disease biology.
• Understanding Human Biology: studying inflammation and immune system response by studying cytokines, chemokines and associated receptors.
• Population Studies: enabling researchers in the identification and understanding of protein patterns across diverse populations.

Why Outsource to a Lab Services Provider?

Outsourcing to a lab services provider offers:

• Expertise on Demand: Benefit from trained experts in Olink Explore HT.
• Cost-Effective: Eliminate costs of specialized equipment and training.
• Time-Saving: Focus on interpreting results and driving discoveries.
• Scalability: Flexible scalability accommodates your project’s needs.

Conclusion

Olink® Explore HT is revolutionizing biomarker discovery with unmatched specificity and scalability. The integration of sophisticated instruments offers a streamlined workflow, while the option to outsource to specialized lab service providers adds flexibility.

Whether you are exploring early research or embarking on extensive discovery, Olink® Explore HT offers the efficiency and precision needed to achieve your goals and as an Olink Service Provider our team is perfectly placed to support you. For more information on harnessing the potential of this innovative solution, contact us today.

Piscataway, NJ, July 11, 2023 – Sampled¹ today announced that it has been named a Certified Service Provider for PacBio, a leading developer of high-quality, highly accurate sequencing solutions, equipping Sampled to deliver the highest quality advanced sequencing technology services on PacBio’s technology.

To achieve this certification, providers must undergo a rigorous process including training on PacBio sample processing and data analysis workflows. Sampled has added long-read sequencing technologies to its already industry-leading, advanced integrated analytical-biorepository suite of capabilities to Store, Manage, Analyze, Research and Transport biosamples for its clients.

“We are very proud to have been named a Certified Service Provider for PacBio, one of the leading providers of sophisticated sequencing technologies,” stated Shareef Nahas, Ph.D., Sampled’s Chief Scientific Officer. “Through this partnership, we can provide our clients with some of the world’s most advanced technologies and capabilities, enabling them to make important breakthroughs in their discovery and development programs.”

“We are delighted to announce Sampled as a Certified Service Provider,” said Jeff Eidel, Chief Commercial Officer at PacBio. “The robust certification process requires companies to meet very strict training and quality standards. Sampled and PacBio are both dedicated to supporting the scientific community in their genomic research projects, and we look forward to continuing to grow our partnership as Sampled scales on Revio and adopts future technologies developed by PacBio.”

“At Sampled, we are always striving to innovate and bring the most cutting-edge services to our clients, so we are delighted to now offer the PacBio long-read sequencing technology,” said Robin Grimwood, Chief Executive Officer at Sampled. “Our thanks to the PacBio team for their partnership and collaboration as we work together for the benefit of our clients.”

About Sampled

Sampled is a next-generation laboratory that unlocks the valuable data in any biological sample. Through our integrated lab services, we can Store, Manage, Analyze, Research and Transport biological materials, offering partners a seamless solution for all research samples. Our vision is a world where we make it faster and easier for health innovators to improve human health, with a mission for Sampled Labs to be behind every transformative health innovation. Sampled is headquartered in Piscataway, N.J. with labs across the US and Europe and partner labs in the Netherlands, China and Australia.

Infinity BiologiX LLC, Roylance Stability Storage Limited and Roylance Scientific Limited are doing business as Sampled. For more information, please visit www.sampled.com

As an NGS ProLab, Sampled can provide researchers and scientists with access to Twist Bioscience NGS technology, so that they can more easily and efficiently perform large-scale genomic research.

“We are very proud to have been named an NGS ProLab by Twist Bioscience, and to provide our clients with access to, expertise and resources that may not be available in-house,” stated Shareef Nahas, Ph.D., Sampled’s Chief Scientific Officer. “By partnering with industry-leading technology providers like Twist Bioscience, we allow our clients to focus on their research results while Sampled does the heavy lifting. This will allow them to increase efficiency and productivity, reduce costs, and speed up the development of new products.”

“By becoming an NGS ProLab, Sampled is now able to add Twist Target Enrichment and Library preparation solutions to its arsenal of lab services, providing high quality data and results,” said Emily M. Leproust, Ph.D., CEO and co-founder of Twist Bioscience. “Our ProLabs are trained and certified to run Twist NGS solutions, enabling more researchers to benefit from the high uniformity of our probes, which allow for deep sequencing of targeted regions.”

“At Sampled, we are always striving to innovate and to offer the latest and most sophisticated technologies available, so we are delighted to bring Twist’s Next-Generation Sequencing tools to our clients around the world,” said Aaron Venables, Chief Commercial Officer at Sampled. “Our goal is to be the leading global, integrated, analytical biorepository, and to offer a range and depth of services and technologies that is unrivaled.”

About Sampled

Sampled is a next-generation laboratory that unlocks the valuable data in any biological sample. Through our integrated lab services, we can Store, Manage, Analyze, Research and Transport biological materials, offering partners a seamless solution for all research samples. Our vision is a world where we make it faster and easier for health innovators to improve human health, with a mission for Sampled Labs to be behind every transformative health innovation. Sampled is headquartered in Piscataway, N.J. with labs across the US and Europe and partner labs in the Netherlands, China and Australia.

Infinity BiologiX LLC, Roylance Stability Storage Limited and Roylance Scientific Limited are doing business as Sampled. For more information, please visit www.sampled.com

Glasgow lab will manage blood samples for the Guardant Health SHIELD lung cancer screening study in the EU.

February 1, 2023 – Piscataway, NJ – Sampled¹ today announced that the new genomics Sampled Lab in Glasgow, UK, has initiated a project with Guardant Health, Inc. (Nasdaq: GH), a leading precision oncology company, to manage blood samples for a large-scale lung cancer screening study. The SHIELD Lung registrational study is designed to evaluate the performance of a Guardant blood-based screening test to detect lung cancer in high-risk individuals aged 50-80. Sampled has already begun receiving blood samples for the study, which is expected to enroll nearly 10,000 patients and will be conducted across approximately 100 centers in the U.S. and Europe. Sampled will manage receipt of the study’s blood samples from these test sites, prepare them for analysis, and store them until they are ready to be shipped to Guardant Health’s U.S. laboratories for test processing.

“This project is a major milestone towards making Sampled’s world-class capabilities available around the world. Guardant Health is a leader in precision oncology testing and we are delighted to partner with them to manage and prepare the blood samples from this important clinical study,” said Robin Grimwood, Sampled CEO. “Our Glasgow lab is located in the heart of BioCity, Scotland’s life science innovation incubator, and as a result we’ve been able to attract a deeply experienced team of scientific professionals to become part of our team.”

Sampled’s Glasgow facility has the ability to store and manage large quantities of blood samples throughout the course of the two-year study. The state-of-the-art, 3,000 square foot biosample research and analysis lab was created to bring Sampled Labs service offerings to European clients. The lab is equipped with leading technologies from a number of providers including: Illumina sequencing platforms, PacBio long read sequencing, microarray capability from ThermoFisher, and microfluidic-based molecular sample identification from Standard BioTools. The lab also offers an extensive range of automated liquid handling from Hamilton, PerkinElmer, and SPT Labtech.

About Sampled

Sampled is a next-generation laboratory that unlocks the valuable data in any biological sample. Through our integrated Sampled Lab services, we can Store, Manage, Analyze, Research and Transport biological materials, offering partners a seamless solution for all research samples. Our vision is a world where we make it faster and easier for health innovators to improve human health, with a mission for Sampled Labs to be behind every transformative health innovation. Sampled is headquartered in Piscataway, N.J. with labs across the US and Europe and partner labs in the Netherlands, China and Australia.

Infinity BiologiX LLC, Roylance Stability Storage Limited and Roylance Scientific Limited are doing business as Sampled. For more information, please visit www.sampled.com

We are proud to announce that four upcoming talks and a poster will be presented at ISBER 2022, which will be returning to the in-person conference setting in Atlanta, Georgia. Filled with innovative technology news and research findings that cover a wide range of disciplines from biorepository news, to assay development and stem cell banking, you won’t want to miss these presentations. Kicking off the series of talks, CEO of Sampled, Robin Grimwood will present his plenary talk “Innovative strategies for protecting sample integrity with an eye towards the future”. Robin will discuss why ensuring samples are available as an active resource for analytical studies, whilst continuously innovating strategies to create renewable resources for future use and discovery is crucial for biorepositories to succeed.

Following this, Head of Scientific affairs, Dr Michael Sheldon will be partnering with Fluidigm (now Standard Biotools) to give a workshop that address sample identity and sample quality challenges. Here, Dr Sheldon will be covering what best practices should be followed involving genetic testing and Quality Control in a biobanking environment. A discussion on the need for, and challenges involving high-throughput solutions for polygenetic risk testing will be given by Christian Bixby and Jess McDevitt. Christian and Jess will explain how Sampled achieved an impressive 10-fold increase in NGS COVID sequencing weekly capacity over a 30-day period and what it took to complete this incredible feat.

The final talk, “Strategies for generating the highest quality isogenic iPSC lines” will be given by Dr Azadeh Jadali. Similarly,  a poster titled: “Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells- The next step in the modelling of genetic diseases” will be also presented throughout the duration of the conference.

We’re honored to see the expertise within the Sampled team recognised by ISBER and excited to share and gain insights from our contemporaries look forward to sharing our insights on biobanking in practice, but if you can’t wait to learn more, why not check out our brand new website to learn about our Sampled Labs.

Register for the conference directly with ISBER here.