What It Is

  • The Intermountain Biorepository is a best-in-class biobank that Intermountain started in the 1970’s.
  • The Intermountain Biorepository is one of the largest and most complete biorepositories available.
  • The Biorepository holds more than 4.5 million biological samples preserved in formalin and embedded in paraffin wax. These historic samples are 10 years or older and are no longer in use for immediate clinical care.
  • Each sample is also uniquely linked to decades of clinical outcomes data. This connection allows researchers to understand the long-term result of clinical interventions across multiple patient groups.
  • The Biorepository is primarily used to support Intermountain research, academic research, and Intermountain Precision Genomics.
  • The Biorepository team provides deep expertise in research design, bioinformatics, molecular pathology, histology, and laboratory medicine. To request a research collaboration, please Contact Us.

Why It Matters

  • Intermountain Biorepository samples represent a historical snapshot of numerous disease areas and outcomes. Disease specific solutions to better diagnostics and treatment are waiting to be discovered on the Biorepository shelves.
  • The research discoveries made possible through the Intermountain Biorepository have the potential to change healthcare as we know it – making precision medicine and individualized patient care a reality for people.
  • The Intermountain Biorepository enables generations to pay it forward. Our ancestors – through their samples – are helping us take care of our community and contribute to our health today.

Research Impact

  • Example: Researchers from Intermountain and Stanford utilized historic samples from the Intermountain Biorepository to study long-term differences between colon cancer patients. Through these samples, they discovered statistically significant differences between the genetic makeup of patients who did not survive five years and those whose cancer went into complete remission. These findings can help inform future therapies that will save lives.
  • Example: Historic samples from the Biorepository also played an important role in recent leukemia and breast cancer research, helping researchers better understand the genetic makeup of these diseases.
  • Learn more about research discoveries that were made possible through Intermountain Biorepository samples on our Publications and Research page.

The Biorepository Upgrade Project

The Intermountain Biorepository is an invaluable resource, and it is critical that it evolves to meet the demands and expectations of a transforming healthcare industry. So, the Intermountain Biorepository is currently undergoing a coordinated 24-month upgrade, to be completed in Q4 2019. The upgrade will result in:

  • A new state-of-the-art facility to house the Biorepository samples and data,
  • The adoption of a sophisticated barcode and inventory management system for sample tracking,
  • The adoption of a corresponding integrated data layer connecting clinical records, digital images, DNA sequence, and pedigrees,
  • The creation of 10 to 15 new jobs.

The Biorepository Upgrade Project is in essence a community health initiative. The insights and efficiencies we gain will feed back into the care we provide to the community. This upgrade will ensure the Biorepository continues to be an engine of discovery, helping to advance medicine, improve patient care, and save lives.