The Biospecimen Shared Resource (BSSR) at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center (SCCC) strives to be an honest broker, maximize efficiency, and provide standard and uniform operating procedures for collection, processing, annotation, storage, and transport of biospecimens.  We work closely with investigators and are monitored by the IRB.  We aim to minimize steps for researchers in collecting and acquiring samples.

Policy

1. Contact BSSR via bssr@med.miami.edu to discuss biospecimen availability
2. Review University of Miami’s HSRO website resource, http://hsro.med.miami.edu/resources
3. Use Not-Human Subject Research Self-Certification tool to determine whether the study is Human Research or Not-Human Research. Link: https://umiami.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4Iz2NPEhX1kdNIx

• If Not-Human – print determination letter (from the tool above)
• If it is determined Human Subject Research – create an eProst account (if the investigator does not already have one) and submit the study protocol to IRB, https://eprost.med.miami.edu

Please contact the BSSR directly for:

• Tips and further instructions on the above policy
• Language for grant proposals, IRB protocol submission and letters of support
• Inventory related queries 

PLEASE NOTE: If you already have an approved IRB protocol, you may be required to submit a minor revision informing the IRB that you will be obtaining samples from BSSR if your study does not already state this.