Donating a saliva sample

As an alternative to donating a blood sample you can join the Cambridge BioResource by donating a saliva sample. Blood samples provide us with additional information, so volunteers who provide a saliva sample may not be invited to as wide a range of research studies as those who choose to donate blood. Saliva samples, however, offer an alternative method of joining for those who do not wish to give blood. The saliva will be used by us for isolation of your DNA. Volunteer's DNA samples are stored and used to determine their suitability for research studies in the future. All samples are stored anonymously. To find out more about how we use DNA samples to invite volunteers to studies please read the section on membership. There are two ways in which you can donate a saliva sample. You can visit our Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Facility (CRF) at Addenbrooke's Hospital or we can send you a self-collection saliva kit.

The CRF is located on level 5 of the Addenbrooke’s Centre for Clinical Investigation and is open 9.00–17.00 Monday to Friday. To make an appointment please contact us. Appointments take approximately 20 minutes and are available at short notice.

Alternatively a saliva kit can be posted to you. A saliva kit will be sent with full instructions and a freepost envelope for its return. Saliva kits also include all the paperwork required to complete your enrolment to the Cambridge BioResource, including the consent form. The benefit of a self–collection kit is that you can donate your sample in your own time, in the comfort of your own home, and a visit to Addenbrooke's is not required. A counter-signed copy of your consent form will be returned to you once we have received your sample.

To book an appointment at the CRF or to request a self-collection saliva kit, please contact the Cambridge BioResource team.