Top Tips for Sample Management and Storage

How To Guide Top Tips for Sample Management and Storage Andy Tay, PhD Sample management and storage are important steps in research projects, but as they do not directly contribute to data generation, their significance might often be overlooked by researchers. Practically all biological experiments require samples to be managed and stored for purposes like post-collection pro cessing and analysis. Consequently, the robustness of sample management and storage approaches has implications for experimental reproducibility and even clinical safety. For example, patient-derived tissues need to be given proper identification to track patient traits such as age and disease type, which can be important for correlation analyses. Furthermore, these tissues have to be stored in appropriate conditions such that they do not degrade before they can be used in downstream studies like tissue staining and protein analyses. Similarly, cells should be biobanked and stored at the right temperature, typically, -80 °C or -196 °C, to preserve their functionalities. When cells are not stored at the right temperature, ice crystal formation can damage cell membranes and cause dehydration and hyperos molarity stresses. In this guide, we share tips to manage and store your samples successfully. Maintain sample traceability Sample management refers to an individual laboratory workflow that comprises sample selection and identification, appropriate storage and efficient retrieval of viable samples. This workflow also includes sample inventory management, storage and retrieval of relevant data regarding all consumables, like reagents. Regardless of the source of samples – biological, clinical or environmental – it is useful to es tablish a tagging or identification system to trace the origin of the samples. This can be done by labeling samples with physical stickers. Many companies are selling sample labeling systems and have even come up with products such as compact WIFI-capable label printers and custom-designed laboratory labeling software. There are also specific labels for cryostorage and others that resist the most aggressive chemicals so that valuable samples can be identified. Adopting effective sample management practice and using innovative trac ing solutions can be helpful for audit checks and project handovers, particularly in labs with temporary interns and organizations with a high turnover of researchers. Additionally, a traceable system will allow users to identify steps in which samples might have been mis handled. With cell therapy applications, robust sample management is vital as personalized cells must be given back to the same patient after manufacturing. Without a tracking system, it would be impossible to know whether cells were dosed back into the correct patients, which would have significant implications on the safety of cell therapies. 1