Yale University Reproductive Sciences Biobank

The mission of the Yale University Reproductive Sciences (YURS) Biobank is to coordinate the ethical collection, storage, annotation, and distribution of tissue and bodily fluids to support translational research. This common biobank is designed to promote resource sharing and ensure carefully collected and controlled, high-quality human biospecimens annotated with essential clinical data and properly consented for broad investigational use.

The YURS-Biobank aims to:

1. Support the research mission of the Department in promoting excellence in the quality and integrity of clinical and basic scientific research in the field of Obstetrical and Gynecologic pathology.
2. Process and store human biospecimens obtained for investigator-initiated studies and for future use in research studies, ensuring equal access to biological material for all Ob/Gyn investigators and transparency in the allocation of resources.
3. Identify participants, administer informed consent, collect tissue and bodily fluids (e.g., whole blood, plasma, serum, buffy coat, ascites fluids, urine) from selected populations, and obtain information on personal and family medical histories, clinical intervention and lifestyle factors for use in research. Protection of participant safety and privacy in paramount in this process.
4. Provide a biobanking infrastructure governed by standardized methods for high-quality biospecimen collection, annotation, storage and distribution.

The Repository is responsible for developing a common infrastructure, and is overseen by the co-directors Pinar Kodaman and Shannon Whirledge, as well as a committee representing at least three clinical sections within the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences.