Best Practices for Biospecimen Resources - NCI

National Cancer Institute · 2026 · Indexed 8 October 2026

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What this contributes

NCI's fourth-edition practices cover biospecimen operations, quality and governance.

The boundary of the evidence

Guidance, not certification of Death X.

Why it belongs here

A sample's value depends on collection, chain of custody, storage history and quality controls. Cryopreservation research ranges from cells and tissues to experimental organ preservation. Preserving a specimen, preserving its structure and restoring its function are distinct outcomes.

Explore the field and its open questions

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