A new home for CCTG’s TTDR, the largest cancer clinical trials tumour bank in Canada

CCTG’s Tissue Data Repository (TTDR) has now moved into its new home at Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC), a highly anticipated state-of-the-art space designed to support and advance the future of cancer research.

The TTDR expansion supports the group’s capacity for ongoing and new initiatives. The refurbished area includes a larger centralized capacity for genomic, transcriptomic and proteomic studies that will leverage expertise among member sites. 

“The underlying question we look to answer is why certain cancers respond the way they do” says Dr. Lois Shepherd, CCTG Senior Investigator and Professor in the Queen’s Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine. “This biospecimen repository provides extraordinary long-term data that helps us better understand cancer as a disease.”

In addition to the expansion of its facilities, TTDR will introduce advanced technologies to support new CCTG initiatives, including the Vectra Polaris Quantitative Imaging System for multiplexed immunofluorescence and advanced image analysis. Equipment upgrades also include the Leica Bond RX and Akoya digital slide scanner, nucleic acid isolation platforms, and automated slide staining systems. The space and equipment are shared along with the Queen’s Laboratory for Molecular Pathology (QLMP). 

“A sample given at one point could mean changes in treatment well down the road,” says Shakeel Virk, TTDR Manager and QLMP Director of Operations“ It maximizes a patient’s contribution and creates extraordinary long-term value for cancer research. We are custodians of samples donated by patients from across the world and it is critical that we use these samples responsibly to help improve how patients are treated in the future.”

The introduction of real-time PCR platforms, QIA Symphony, BioTek Synergy microplate readers, the Vectra Polaris Quantitative Imaging System, and Indica Labs HALO image analysis modules will expand the repository’s and QLMP laboratory capabilities. This will provide researchers across Canada with enhanced access to high-quality research materials derived from CCTG trials.

“The new facility combines tremendous technological capabilities and scientific expertise that enables our researchers to visualize the fight against cancer at molecular scale.” says Dr. David Berman, Head of the Department of Pathology & Molecular Medicine.

This project was supported by Queen’s University, KHSC, KHSC Research Institute, Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, ​and ​the Canada Foundation for Innovation with Provincial matching funds from Ontario Research Fund.

"The beautiful new facility is the result of years of work," says Dr.​​​ ​​​​Annette Hay, Clinician Scientist, CCTG Senior Investigator and Clinician Scientist at KHSC.​​​​​ "With one in two Canadians expected to be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime, there is still much work to be done, but this dedicated space enables expansion of internationally renowned research for many years to come."