The SKCC Biorepository at Thomas Jefferson University Receives Accreditation from College of American Pathologists

(PHILADELPHIA) -- The Accreditation Committee of the College of American Pathologists (CAP) has awarded accreditation to the Sidney Kimmel Cancer taCenter Biorepository in Phila, PA based on results of a recent on-site inspection as part of the CAP’s Accreditation Programs.

The SKCCB initiative was established by the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center (SKCC) with the leadership of Haifeng Yang, PhD, an assistant professor in the Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Cell biology at Jefferson, to provide a biobanking infrastructure governed by standardized methods for biospecimen collection, annotation, storage and distribution. Biospecimens are tissues and fluids taken from the human body and used for diagnosis, analysis and research.

"The accreditation of our biorepository by CAP will ensure that we adhere to the highest standards to collect, store and distribute biospecimens. The quality of the samples will ensure the quality of the clinical and translational research," says Dr. Yang.

“Our biorepository is rapidly expanding and we aim to build it into a top-notch and well-used resource, to serve the ultimate goal of helping our patients defeat their cancer,” says Karen Knudsen, PhD, executive vice president of Oncology Services, Jefferson Health; and enterprise director of SKCC at Jefferson. SKCC is one of only 71 National Cancer Institute-designated centers of excellence in the nation.

The collection currently houses two types of biobanks, a bone cancer biobank and a lymphoma biobank. The bone cancer biobank is one of the largest in the country and is led by Dr. W. Kevin Kelly, DO. Plans are underway to expand the collection to include melanoma, breast and lung cancer samples.

The U.S. federal government recognizes the CAP Laboratory Accreditation Program, begun in the early 1960s, as being equal-to or more-stringent-than the government’s own inspection program.

During the CAP accreditation process, designed to ensure the highest standard of care for all laboratory patients, inspectors examine the laboratory’s records and quality control of procedures for the preceding two years. CAP inspectors also examine laboratory staff qualifications, equipment, facilities, its safety program and record, and overall management.

Media Contact: Edyta Zielinska, 215-955-7359, [email protected]