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VA Boston Central Biorepository

State-of-the-Art Biospecimen Collection, Processing, and Storage

Welcome to the VA Boston Central Biorepository

The VA Central Biorepository (VACB) is a national resource that safeguards millions of biological samples generously donated by Veterans. By processing, storing, and providing these samples to approved researchers, we help drive discoveries that improve the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases affecting Veterans and the wider community.

About Us

The VA Central Biorepository (VACB) was founded in 1997 as a Core Laboratory within the Massachusetts Veterans Epidemiology Research and Information Collaborative (MAVERIC). Sponsored by MVP and the VA Cooperative Studies Program (CSP), the Biorepository serves as a centralized resource to preserve VA’s valuable biospecimens and provide long-term support for VA research programs.

VACB plays a vital role in advancing medical research by:

  • Assisting investigators in designing protocols for specimen collection and shipping.
  • Processing, storing, and distributing samples from Veteran participants nationwide.
  • Extracting nucleic acids to support precision medicine research.

Services are available to approved VA and non-VA researchers. Studies supported by VACB aim to improve the understanding, prevention, and treatment of a wide range of medical conditions, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, kidney disease, suicide prevention, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Agent Exposure Toxicity, Gulf War Illness, and more.

Our Facility

Two Locations: VA Jamaica Plain and VA Brockton

Three Types of Cold Storage (capacity: 8 million specimens)

  • Ultra-Low Temperature -80C Mechanical Freezers
  • Ultra-Low -80C Robotic Freezer
  • Cryogenic Tanks

Automated Processing Capabilities

  • Blood Fractionators
  • Nucleic Acid Extractors
  • Normalizers for Sample Distribution

Infrastructure

  • Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS)
  • Monitoring and Security
  • Facility monitored 24/7 with dual alarm systems
  • Out-of-range freezers immediately flagged to on-call staff
  • Backup freezers available to ensure safe specimen transfer

Services Provided

VACB supports investigators through:

  • Protocol design for specimen collection, shipping, processing, and storage
  • Provision of collection supplies (blood draw consumables, shipping boxes, etc.)
  • Specimen processing (blood fractionation, nucleic acid extraction, quality control)
  • Secure storage and specimen distribution for analysis

** VACB does not own biospecimens. Investigators maintain full authority over their samples, and requests for use must be directed to the originating study team.

Tissue Types: Blood, Saliva, Urine

For other tissue types, please contact VACB to discuss feasibility.

Cold storage infrastructure at the VA Central Biorepository (VACB), featuring liquid nitrogen cryotanks, -80°C ULT freezers, the automated NitroStore system, and high-precision sample-picking platform—all supporting secure, efficient, and scalable biospecimen preservation.

Cold storage infrastructure at the VA Central Biorepository (VACB), featuring liquid nitrogen cryotanks, -80°C ULT freezers, the automated NitroStore system, and high-precision sample-picking platform—all supporting secure, efficient, and scalable biospecimen preservation.

Biospecimen processing workflow at the VACB: blood centrifugation, automated blood fractionation, precise manual fractionation, and liquid nitrogen (LN₂) storage handling—ensuring sample quality, consistency, and integrity throughout the pipeline.

Biospecimen processing workflow at the VACB: blood centrifugation, automated blood fractionation, precise manual fractionation, and liquid nitrogen (LN₂) storage handling—ensuring sample quality, consistency, and integrity throughout the pipeline.

From automated DNA extraction and precise DNA quantification to cold-storage Matrix tubes arranged in an American flag design—showcasing the VACB's commitment to accuracy, innovation, and service to our nation's research mission.

From automated DNA extraction and precise DNA quantification to cold-storage Matrix tubes arranged in an American flag design—showcasing the VACB's commitment to accuracy, innovation, and service to our nation's research mission.

Cold shipper and biospecimen collection supplies, including UN3373-compliant packaging, cold packs, biohazard containers, vacutainers, and accessories—supporting safe, regulated, and reliable transport of biological samples.

Cold shipper and biospecimen collection supplies, including UN3373-compliant packaging, cold packs, biohazard containers, vacutainers, and accessories—supporting safe, regulated, and reliable transport of biological samples.

Our Team

VACB is staffed by a dedicated, highly trained team of Program Support Assistants, Laboratory Technologists, Biomedical Engineer, and Quality Assurance Specialists who are committed to supporting research with precision and care.

Research Programs Supported (not a complete list)

  • Million Veteran Program (MVP)
  • CSP-2023 PREMIUM
  • CSP-595 LEDE Ancillary Study
  • CSP-2016B NAP
  • CSP-577 CONFIRM
  • CSP-256 VETR256
  • CSP-585 GULF WAR
  • CSP-501 BRAIN BANK (NTB)
  • CSP-465 DIABETES
  • CSP-499A ACTIVE
  • CSP-453 HOST
  • CSP-575 PATRIOT
  • CSP-512 OPTIMA
  • CSP-578 PRESERVE

Management Team

  • Biorepository Scientific Director: Yonghui Jia, Ph.D.
  • Program Manager: Kellie Tran, MS, MBA
  • Lab Supervisor: Christine Govan, BS

Contacts:

For any enquiries, contact MAVERIC-Info@va.gov and vhabhsvacb@va.gov.



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Any health information on this website is strictly for informational purposes and is not intended as medical advice. It should not be used to diagnose or treat any condition.