TTP Labtech’s arktic system chosen for technical excellence and provision of long term sample security

The new phase of expansion for Institut Curie’s Paris-based biobank required a solution for advanced patient sample monitoring, as well as efficient sample storage and preparation across numerous tissue formats, including tumour, RNA, DNA, protein and blood. As part of this upgrade Institut Curie announced today an investment in arktic^®, a flexible, modular -80°C sample storage system from a leading technology provider, TTP Labtech.

This platform has been selected by the Institut Curie as part of its longer term strategy encompassing biobank expansion, in particular in the framework of the Equipex initiative conducted by French government of which Institut Curie has been a major laureate. TTP Labtech’s arktic promises to provide a valuable resource for the outstanding oncology research, patient diagnostics and pioneering treatment regimens that the Institut Curie is renowned for. The installation of which is a necessary step to ensure the security of the institute’s invaluable and growing sample repository, and will ensure that issues around sample integrity and availability will not be factors limiting the quality, impact and insight of future research.

Dr. Xavier Sastre-Garau, Director of Pathology at the Institut Curie commented: “We have been impressed with the level of scientific innovation and engineering know-how provided by the TTP Labtech team. We required a future-proofed system that had the flexibility to grow as our biobank expanded, could store a range of different sample types and volumes and could facilitate better sample management and tracking. TTP Labtech’s arktic has provided a solution to these requirements. The small footprint of the arktic also greatly aids our facility design and set-up and allows us to make the best use of our space.”

James Craven, Commercial Head of Sample Management at TTP Labtech commented, “We are honoured to have been chosen by Institut Curie at this very critical phase of expansion.  The Institut curie provides invaluable research in the fight against Cancer”. TTP Labtech’s arktic storage modules have no moving parts within the cold zone. Instead, internal sample transport relies on its proprietary pneumatic technology, greatly improving the efficiency and mechanical reliability of the system.”

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About The Institut Curie 

The Institut Curie is a foundation of public interest, which combines the largest French oncology research centre and two state-of-the-art hospitals. This clinical research structure has pioneered many treatments. It is a centre of excellence for the treatment of breast cancer, paediatric tumours and ocular tumour, and it disseminates medical and scientific discovery, knowledge and innovations both in France and abroad.

Founded in 1909 on a model devised by Marie Curie, the Institute Curie is still at the cutting edge: "from fundamental research to innovative treatments", the Institut Curie has 3,200 researchers, physicians, clinicians, technicians and administrative staff.
 
The Institut Curie is 1 of the 10 top European research institutes that has formed a new alliance, called EU-LIFE, to actively promote European research.

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About EU-LIFE

The mission of EU-LIFE is to foster excellence, share knowledge, and influence policies in the life sciences. The alliance will regularly share best practice, and design joint activities in technology transfer, international collaboration, translational research, science communication, competitive funding, recruitment, and training. The aim of EU-LIFE will be an intensive and rewarding exercise to start building ties across institutes, countries, cultures, and areas of expertise.

Partners in EU-LIFE are renowned research centres that operate with similar principles of excellence, external reviews, independence, and competiveness, on an international level. Current partners of this association are the co-leaders CRG and VIB (Belgium), the Institut Curie (France), the Netherlands Cancer Institute (Netherlands), the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine; MDC, Berlin-Buch (Germany), Istituto Europeo di Oncologia (Italy), Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência (Portugal), the CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (Austria), CEITEC (Czech Republic), and the Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (Finland).

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