A new brain cancer biomedical dataset called REMBRANDT (REpository for Molecular BRAin Neoplasia DaTa) provided by Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Washington DC, has been made freely accessible to researchers globally.
The online data resource contains genomic information, donated by brain tumour patients who allowed their tumours to be sampled (including detailed genetic analysis), as well as diagnostic information (including brain scans), treatment and outcomes data.
REMBRANDT includes genomic data from 261 samples of glioblastoma, 170 of astrocytoma, 86 tissues of oligodendroglioma, and a number that are mixed or of an unknown subclass.
Worldwide sharing of brain tumour patients’ data is essential for the research to make a significant progress.
BRAIN UK, the world’s first national virtual brain bank, is part-funded by Brain Tumour Research. It is a network of NHS and Academic Centres working together to provide CNS tissue for research. The brain bank provides a matching service for researchers requiring human tissue from disorders affecting the brain and neuromuscular system.