Accessing the APGI Bioresource
Contact us for preliminary discussions
Email us at research@pancreaticcancer.net.au to initiate preliminary discussions about your research proposal. We will then be able to advise you if we have the necessary material to support your project. You will need to have prior institutional ethics approval for your project, or be able to justify why this is not necessary.
Download & complete the APGI Bioresource Request form
You must complete the first section entirely. Section B deals with biospecimen access, while Section C deals with clinical data access. Generally, you will need to have access to clinical data if you are planning to perform correlative or outcome analyses. If your study is purely epidemiological and you are not doing laboratory benchwork, then you will not need to address Section B.
Familiarise yourself with the APGI Tissue & Data Access Policy
You will need to agree to all the points highlighted in the application form pertaining to due diligence of biospecimen and clinical data use. For more information see the APGI Tissue and Data Access Policy.
Submit your application electronically if possible
Please sign the completed form, attach any relevant documentation, eg. ethics approval, and send your paperwork in pdf format to research@pancreaticancer.net.au. If this is not possible, please mail it to Amber Johns, Project Manager, Pancreatic Cancer Research Group, Level 9, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, 384 Victoria Street, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010. Australia.
The APGI Management Team will review the application from here
The committee will assess whether the application proposes a scientifically justifiable, feasible and high priority use of the material and or data currently available. The applicant may be asked to respond to the committee’s comments in writing.
Your application may be referred to the Scientific Advisory Committee
If there are concerns raised which are unable to be resolved within the Management Team, or the project is requesting on-going access to biospecimens or high quantities of samples the application will be referred to the Scientific Advisory Committee for further review. Applicants will be notified of this. A common problem may be requests for large amounts of material or for material that is in very limited supply. The APGI will have to balance such requests against competing demands and availability of samples.
Most projects will be supported without charge
However please be advised that access fees may be applied at the discretion of the Management Team. This will be discussed with the applicant prior to the transfer of material.
Completion of the Garvan Material Transfer Agreement
Following approval of your application for access to biospecimens, you will need to complete and sign the Garvan Material Transfer Agreement if you are based outside the Garvan Institute. We will assist you in this process. Biospecimens can only be released if you agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of the Garvan Institute Material Transfer Agreement.
Acknowledgement of APGI
It is a condition of use that you acknowledge the APGI in any eventual publication(s) which arise from your work using our biospecimens and/or clinical data. This will help us apply for future grants and government funding, so we may be able to continue providing this service.
Don't forget to feedback
At the conclusion of your project, or within the first year of your work, please complete our online feedback questionnaire and tell us more about your experience with the APGI bioresource.
