As the Operations Director of the Central Operations and Data Coordinating Center (CODCC) of the AIDS and Cancer Specimen Resource (ACSR), I have been proactively working with various organizations including the AIDS Malignancy Consortium (AMC), Center for AIDS Research (CFAR), the International Society of Biological and Environmental Repositories (ISBER), that are involved in establishing best practices focused on the standardization and harmonization of protocols and procedures for the collection, long-term storage, retrieval and distribution of human biospecimens. The availability of high quality specimens for research purposes requires globally standardized handling and banking methods that are critical to assure integrity of samples for future use.
As a member of ISBER, I am constantly seeking opportunities to share ideas and harmonize approaches biospecimen materials for research purposes and evolve in response to the new challenges that arise in biobanking and repository operations as well as sustainability issues. Sharing successful strategies is accomplished by fostering collaborations and creating education and training opportunities.