GCU Skin Research Tissue Bank

The GCU Skin Tissue Bank has been in operation since 2011 and operates under its own Governance providing well annotated normal and diabetic tissue samples to support research into human skin disease.

The GCU Skin Tissue Bank operates closely with the NHSGGC Bio-repository and Pathology Tissue Resource II alongside Consultant Diabetic Vascular and Endovascular Surgeon Mr Keith Hussey and Consultant Dermatologist Dr Mozheh Zamiri in the Glasgow area. All acquisition of tissue complies with the Governance procedures approved by the NHS GG&C Biorepository who have oversight in supporting tissue collection and annoyminisation of samples. The GCU Skin Tissue Bank’s ethical oversight and approval is provided by the NHS REC Research Tissue Bank (RTB) (21/WS/0088) and is currently valid until July 2026.

The GCU Skin Tissue Bank holds fixed and frozen tissue along with fibroblasts and keratinocytes derived from donor samples.

In addition to banking normal and diabetic tissue, it is intended to extend the tissue bank to include donations from other skin conditions including inflammatory skin disorders such as psoriasis, eczema; pigmentation disorders such as vitiligo, or genetic skin disease and scleroderma. We also aim to collect bacterial skin swabs to enable correlations with skin disease and shifts in the skin microbiome to be studied.

A major focus of funding support 2012-2017 was from the Animal Free Research (formerly the Dr Hadwen Trust), the UK’s leading non-animal medical research charity. During this period we supplied over 75 tissue blocks to external collaborators, 56 vials of fibroblasts and ~20 vials of keratinocytes were used directly in research locally and externally. A further focus of this project was the generation of induced pluripotent stem cells from dermal fibroblasts, using an animal free technologies. The development of human cell and tissue-based models to replace animal experiments is still a key part of our current focus.

From 2017 – present the GCU Skin Tissue Bank continues to provide biopsies and cells for research activities. We have some technical support and are seeking further grant applications for a fully funded Research Assistant to liaise with our clinical and industrial partners. Members of the GCU Tissue Bank work closely with colleagues across Scotland engaged with Dermatology research and the Scottish Skin Biology Club.