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  • Specimen and Data Collection

    • Specimen and Data Collection

    Tohoku Medical Megabank Project collects biological specimens such as blood and urine, from 150,000 healthy Japanese participants with informed consent in Miyagi and Iwate prefectures. We also collect data from physiological examinations, physical measurements, medical and lifestyle information from the questionnaires, and MRI data of a part of the participants who offered their information at our sub-branches, which are located in several community areas. This information is stored in the data storage system, and at the same time, biological specimens are preserved at appropriate temperatures and under suitable conditions. The results of analysis of the biological specimens are combined with information above to construct our integrated database. A part of the data is available to public through the websites as follows.

    The Biobank in Tohoku Medical Megabank Projects obtained certification of ISO 9001 Quality Management System (Group of Biobank) and ISO 27001 Information Security Management System (Group of Biobank, but also Group of Integrated Database, and Group of Materials and Information Management).

    Biological Specimens

    (Number of tubes on November 1, 2024)

    Biological Specimens Number of Tubes  
    DNA 311,800 > Storage Condition
    Plasma 1,095,100 > Storage Condition
    Serum 1,222,100 > Storage Condition
    Buffy Coat Cells 434,400    for DNA Extraction
    Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells 552,200 > Storage Condition
    Cord Blood Mononuclear Cells 72,900 > Storage Condition
    EBV-Transformed B Cells 23,716 > Storage Condition
    Stimulated T Cells 21,844 > Storage Condition
    Urine 846,100 > Storage Condition
    Breast Milk 68,000  -
    Saliva 7,700  -
     
    Oral Specimens Number of People  
    Plaque c.a. 25,000  -
                

    Storage Condition
    DNA Isolation Autopure LS (QIAGEN), QIAsymphony (QIAGEN)
    Quantification Quant-iT PicoGreen dsDNA Assay Kit
    Quality check O.D. 260/280 ratio
    Solvent QIAGEN DNA Hydration Solution
    Storage tubes 1 mL Matrix 2D Barcoded Storage Tubes (Thermo Scientific)
    Storage temperature 4 °C
    Aliquots for distribution (size, concentration) 10-50 µL (50 ng/µL)
    Distribution format 96 well format deepwell storage plate
    Plasma / Serum Storage tubes 1 mL Matrix 2D Barcoded Storage Tubes (Thermo Scientific)
    Aliquots (size and number) 700 µL, 4 tubes
    Storage temperature -80 °C
    Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells Storage tubes 1 mL Matrix 2D Barcoded Storage Tubes (Thermo Scientific)
    Aliquots (size and number) 500 µL (from 2.5 mL of blood), 2-3 tubes
    Storage temperature Below -180 °C (liquid nitrogen, vapor phase)
    Cord Blood Mononuclear Cells Storage tubes 1 mL Matrix 2D Barcoded Storage Tubes (Thermo Scientific)
    Aliquots (size and number) 500µL (from 2.25mL of blood), 4 tubes
    Storage temperature Below -180 °C (liquid nitrogen, vapor phase)
    EBV-Transformed B Cells Storage tubes 1 mL Matrix 2D Barcoded Storage Tubes (Thermo Scientific)
    Aliquots (size and number) 700 µL, 3 tubes
    Storage temperature Below -180 °C (liquid nitrogen, vapor phase)
    Stimulated T Cells Storage tubes 1 mL Matrix 2D Barcoded Storage Tubes (Thermo Scientific)
    Aliquots (size and number) 700 µL, 3 tubes
    Storage temperature Below -180 °C (liquid nitrogen, vapor phase)
    Urine Storage tubes 1 mL Matrix 2D Barcoded Storage Tubes (Thermo Scientific)
    Aliquots (size and number) 700 µL, 3 tubes
    Storage temperature -80 °C

    *Customized LIMS (Laboratory Information Management System) based on LabVantage (LABVANTAGE Solutions) is used for specimen handling and inventory management. Specimens are aliquoted into Matrix 2D Barcoded Storage Tubes. Freedom EVO robotic dispensers (TECAN) are used to aliquot liquid specimens automatically.

     

    Medical and Life-Style Information, Health Data
    (Baseline Assessment and     Repeat Assessment)
      Number of People
    Health and Life-style Questionnaire  (Japanese-Cohort Standard)
    Basic Information (Age, Sex, Area, Job), Lifestyle (Sleep, Exercise, Food, Alcohol, Smoking), Physical Health, Social Environments, Mental Health, and Psychosocial Factors (Disaster-Related Problems)
    Disaster-Related Questionnaire
    Damage by the Great East Japan Earthquake, and Lifestyle Change
    Diet Questionnaire
    Food
    Questionnaire (Life-style and Disease-Related) PDF (in Japanese)
    Questionnaire (Food) PDF (in Japanese)    		 c.a. 155,000
    Questionnaire by Touch Screen Device in Community Support Centers
    Damage by the Great East Japan Earthquake, Lifestyle (Exercise), Social Environments, Mental Health, Psychosocial Factor, and Oral Health Questions    		 c.a. 26,000
    Physiological Exam in Community Support Centers
    Audibility Test, Blood Test, Body Composition, Blood Pressure, Bone Mineral Density, Cartoid Ultrasound Imaging, Electro-Cardiogram, Grid Strength, Ophthalmologic Tests, Oral Health Test, Vascular, and Respiratory    		 c.a. 26,000

    * Baseline assessment: From July 2013 to March 2016
    * Secondary assessment (Repeat assessment): From June 2017 to March 2021, Tertiary assessment (Repeat assessment): From July 2021 to present

     

    MRI Exam

    (Number of people on February 1, 2020)

    Brain imaging (3D T1-Weighted Imaging and MR Angiography, etc)  ca. 12,000
    Body and thighs imaging using multi-Dixon sequences  *first phase only ca. 4,000

    * The first phase was done from 2014 to 2019. The second phase started in October 2019. Please take a look at HERE for more details.

     

    Japanese Multi Omics Reference Panel (jMorp)

    “jMorp” is a database consisted of genome, metabolome and proteome data in plasma. Multiple omics analysis data obtained by ToMMo is integrated to “jMorp”, and opened to the researchers online.
    Please take a look at HERE for more details.

    Details of jMorp datasets

    *Information collected in our biobank such as blood/urine test data, questionnaire information, biochemical test data, MRI data, genome sequences, omics data and medical/nursing data is stored in Integrated Database in the data bank section of the supercomputer after de-identification.