Being a member

The Cambridge BioResource is open to researchers from across Cambridgeshire with ethically approved research studies. Each research study has its own set of selection criteria for volunteer recruitment, including both genetic and phenotypic elements. Phenotypic criteria include information such as your gender and ethnicity. Studies may also be interested in factors such as your medical conditions, lifestyle or medications you are taking. This information is used along with your donated DNA sample to help match you to research studies.

The unique benefit of the Cambridge BioResource is that researchers are able to select volunteers for studies based on their genetic make-up or on other characteristics, such as markers in their blood cells. All of us have slight variations in our genes and these determine traits such as eye colour, skin colour, hair growth and height. It is also combinations of these variations in our genes that can predispose or protect an individual to certain diseases.

Volunteer selection

Researchers working with the Cambridge BioResource are trying to better understand how our genes influence our risk of disease. They do this by studying volunteers with different genetic variations.

Using typical methods of volunteer recruitment, such as poster adverts or recruitment through clinics, researchers are only able to target volunteers based on phenotypic criteria, such as age and gender. Using these methods, researchers would need to recruit very large numbers of volunteers who fit their phenotypic criteria in order to find sufficient volunteers with a particular genetic make-up of interest. For example, a researcher looking to recruit volunteers with a common genetic variation that occurs in approximately 1 in 10 people would have to recruit approximately 500 volunteers in order to find 50 volunteers with the genetic variation of interest. This would result in a costly and lengthy recruitment process, which would impact on the feasibility of the study.

Using the Cambridge BioResource, DNA samples are screened in advance of volunteer selection for the particular gene (or genes) of interest. Only those volunteers who are found to have the genetic variation of interest are selected for invitation. This means that valuable functional research into the causes of many common diseases that previously would have proven too costly or time-consuming is now possible.

Once volunteers fitting the study selection criteria have been identified, the Cambridge BioResource team arranges for them to be invited to take part in the study. If you meet the criteria for a research study, you will receive an invitation asking if you would like to participate. The invitation will include information about the study and what is involved, and a participation slip for you to complete and return to us using the Freepost envelope provided.

Different studies require different levels of involvement so it is important to read the information sheet carefully to find out what is being asked of you before making a decision. If you are not sure what the study involves or whether you are eligible to take part, please get in touch.

Remember, you are under no obligation to take part in any study that you are invited for, but we do ask that you return your participation slip either way in order to let us know your decision. If you are interested in participating in a study and return your slip to inform us, we will pass this onto the research team, so that they can contact you directly about getting involved.

We closely monitor how many times we invite you to studies and we will not send you more than four invitations per year. If you have any questions about an invitation you have received or the selection process, please contact us.

For more information on current research studies using the Cambridge BioResource, click here.

It is important for volunteers to note that the role of the Cambridge BioResource is to recruit volunteers into research studies investigating the causes of common diseases. The Cambridge BioResource is not a diagnosis or genetic screening service and samples are not being screened for rare diseases or abnormalities, nor are we running individual case studies. For this reason, we do not feedback genetic information to Cambridge BioResource study participants. We also have strict policies regarding confidentiality and anonymity of volunteers. More information about this can be found here.