Researchers reach biobanks when they need biospecimens with similar traits for their studies. For example, one might need blood samples that have been extracted from 'Caucasian' males, age '50-60' years, who have smoked for ten years or more.
The ability to seek out a specific collection of biospecimens is critical for any biobanking database. Using SpecimenCatalog, the researchers can request specimens. Based on the availability and screening of specimens, request managers can approve and distribute the requested specimens.
How to request specimens?
This section explains how researchers can directly request specimens from OpenSpecimen. You can skip this section if you do not plan to give access to researchers to request using OpenSpecimen.
OpenSpecimen allows researchers to view the summary of available specimens, search and request for desired specimens. There are two options to publish specimens to the researchers:
- Catalog with login for specific investigator study.
- Public catalog without login for general biobanking specimens.
This page describes the workflow for requesting specimens from the catalog with login.
Request specimens as logged in user
- Log in as the researcher.
- Navigate to "Collection protocols" → Click on the ‘View Catalog’ icon.
- The system displays a dashboard showing the summary of the specimens available.
- Click on the ‘View Catalog’ button to see the available specimens.
- Search the specimens of interest by applying any filters from the left side.
- Select specimens of interest and click on the ‘Add to Cart’ button → Click on the ‘Cart’ button that shows the number of specimens added to the cart.
- Review the specimens in the cart and add aliquots details if needed. Click on the ‘Confirm Request’ button.
- Complete the "Request’ form and click on the ‘Submit Request’ button. If the IRB ID is submitted, then it is matched and linked with the corresponding Distribution Protocol.
- An email notification is sent to the Requestor and the Request Managers of the catalog.
Roles
Request manager Access: The request manager also needs 'Read' access on the 'Catalog' resource.
Requestor Access: To access the catalog, you will need to read access to 'Catalog' and 'Collection Protocols' resources.
You can view the collection protocol and participant data only if you have 'Read' access on either of 'ParticipantPhi' or 'Participant' resources.
Catalog Access
Navigate to the catalog → click on the catalog card on the home screen.
You will see all the available catalogs. You can click on the 'View Catalog' icon on the right-hand side to access the catalog.
Catalog’s Request
Clicking on the catalog requestor will navigate the catalog's requests list view. You can navigate to the catalog result view screen using the 'View Catalog' option, as displayed in the below image.
Requestors can edit their requests as long as they are Pending.
The requestor can edit their request form but not add/edit the specimens tab. After a request is submitted, the specimen add/edit will have to be done by the Request managers.
Request email notification:
The email notification is sent to the requestor after successfully placing the request for specimens. This email contains Specimen request CSV with the list of specimens and request form content.
This csv can be configured by request managers via 'Specimen Query'.