Human Biological Samples for Respiratory Research

Human Biological Samples Respiratory Viruses Research Focused Biobank 

Schedule a Call

Biospecimens for Respiratory Research

hVIVO holds a unique collection of biospecimens collected under controlled conditions during Influenza A and RSV characterisation studies. Biospecimens are ethically approved, GCLP-processed, and accompanied by rich clinical metadata including PCR viral titres, antibody titres, symptom diaries, and donor demographics across multiple timepoints. Whether you need access to existing banked material or require a custom prospective collection designed around your study protocol, our team can support your requirements from initial scoping through to sample release.

Blood Products

Whole Blood

Collected at defined timepoints, whole blood provides a complete snapshot of the systemic immune response for use in a wide range of downstream assays.

Serum

Cell-free and ideal for antibody titre measurement, cytokine profiling, and biomarker discovery in respiratory infection studies.

Plasma

Anticoagulant-treated plasma retains additional analytes compared to serum, supporting broader proteomics and metabolomics applications.

PBMC

Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells isolated to support cellular immunology, T cell and B cell assays, and vaccine response characterisation.

Buffy Coat

The white cell and platelet layer separated from whole blood, useful for genomic studies, cell culture, and further PBMC processing.

Swabs

Nasopharyngeal Swabs

The standard collection method for upper respiratory tract viral detection, used for PCR confirmation and viral load quantification.

Throat Swabs

Collected from the oropharynx to support virology testing and microbiome analysis in respiratory infection studies. 

Nasal Wick

Absorbent nasal wicks capture mucosal secretions from the nasal passage, enabling cytokine, IgA, and innate immune marker analysis.

Vaginal Swabs

Collected for reproductive and mucosal immunology research, supporting studies with a women's health or systemic infection component.

Rectal Swabs

Support gut microbiome and mucosal immunity research, relevant to studies examining systemic effects of respiratory infection.

Additional Sample Types

Saliva

Non-invasive and easy to collect at volume, saliva supports mucosal antibody (IgA) quantification, proteomics, and microbiome analysis.

Urine

Used for metabolomics, drug metabolite detection, and systemic biomarker studies as a non-invasive longitudinal matrix.

Tears

A specialist matrix for ocular and mucosal immunology research, providing access to lacrimal IgA and local inflammatory markers.

Hair

Collected during the study period to support cortisol research and systemic stress response analysis in the context of acute respiratory infection.

Nail

Clippings Collected as a stable biological matrix supporting trace element and baseline metabolic research in well-characterised healthy adult donors.

hVIVO operates in line with the Human Tissue Act 2004 and the HTA's Code of Practice E: Research across the full sample lifecycle, from collection and processing through to biobanking and release. Every sample is accompanied by traceable consent documentation, and our laboratory is GCLP-accredited (Good Clinical Laboratory Practice, RQA) to ensure quality assurance at every stage 

Our Research Tissue Bank approval, granted under HTA Code of Practice E: Research, means samples can be used in ethically approved research projects without the need for a separate ethics application in most cases. If your project requires expanded scope or new prospective collections, our in-house medical writing team can support any additional regulatory or ethics submissions required, reducing the administrative burden on your team.

ICON_Factsheet

UK-Registered Research Tissue Bank

All samples are sourced through hVIVO's ethically approved Research Tissue Bank (IRAS ID 331455), with full consent, governance, and traceability built in from collection.

ICON_Preclinical

Longitudinal, Pathogen-Confirmed Samples

Samples collected across multiple timepoints from pre-infection to 28 days post-infection, with PCR-confirmed viral titres for Influenza A and RSV.

ICON_Conferences

Custom Prospective Collection Available

Where existing banked material does not meet your requirements, we can design and execute a bespoke collection programme tailored to your study protocol.

hVIVO Biobank: Rich Clinical Context With Every Sample

Every sample in the hVIVO biobank is accompanied by detailed clinical metadata collected across multiple timepoints, from pre-infection through to 28 days post-infection. Metadata available with each sample set includes PCR-confirmed viral titres, serology and antibody titres, symptom scores and diary data, and full donor demographics. All participant data is managed by hVIVO's dedicated recruitment team in compliance with GDPR and UK Data Protection legislation, with no personally identifiable information shared with external parties.

Research Applications

Pre-clinical Drug

Discovery and Development Pathogen-confirmed longitudinal samples enable target identification and compound screening in physiologically relevant infectious disease models.

Diagnostics Developmen and Validation

Samples with confirmed viral titres and clinical metadata support the development and analytical validation of new diagnostic tests and screening tools.

Biomarker Discovery and Validation

Longitudinal biofluids from defined infection timepoints provide an ideal matrix for identifying and qualifying candidate biomarkers of disease progression and immune response.

Translational Medicine

Bridge the gap between preclinical findings and clinical relevance using samples from characterised human infection studies with full clinical context.

In Vitro Model Development

Primary cells and biofluids from well-characterised donors support the development and refinement of in vitro respiratory infection models.

Why Research Teams Choose hVIVO

  • Unique Longitudinal Sample Sets: Pathogen-confirmed biofluids collected from pre-infection to 28 days post-infection for Influenza A and RSV. Depth and clinical context that off-the-shelf biobanks cannot match.
  • GCLP-Accredited Processing: All samples are processed in our GCLP-accredited laboratory, ensuring quality, traceability, and regulatory acceptability for downstream research use.
  • No Separate Ethics Application Needed: Our Research Tissue Bank approval covers most standard research uses. In most cases, your team can access samples without a separate ethics submission.
  • Custom Prospective Collection: If our banked material does not meet your exact requirements, we can design and execute a new collection programme around your study design.
  • Full Regulatory and Medical Writing Support: For projects requiring extended scope or new sample types, our in-house medical writing team can support any additional ethics or regulatory applications.
  • End-to-End Sample Management: From collection and processing to long-term cryostorage and retrieval, all services sit under one quality system at our Greenwich facility.
Young female scientist conducting research in a lab

FAQ

Get in touch with us

Our ethical and regulatory review is built directly into how samples are collected, processed, stored, and released. All samples are sourced through an ethically approved UK Research Tissue Bank, ensuring consent, traceability, and governance are addressed upfront—reducing delays and risk for your research programme.

In most cases, no. Our samples can be used under our existing Research Tissue Bank ethical approval for defined, approved research purposes. If your project requires extended scope or new prospective collections, our internal medical writing and regulatory teams can support any additional submissions required.
We operate in line with UK ethical, governance, and data protection requirements, including traceable consent processes and controlled cryostorage environments.  Our HTA licence, held under the Human Tissue Act 2004, applies to our storage facilities, while ethical approval under HTA Code of Practice E: Research governs sample use—together ensuring full regulatory alignment across the sample lifecycle.
hVIVO's biobank currently includes longitudinal biofluid samples from characterisation studies involving Influenza A (FluA) and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). Samples are accompanied by PCR viral titres, antibody titres, donor demographics, and symptom diaries collected across multiple timepoints, from pre-infection through to 28 days post-infection. This longitudinal design makes them particularly valuable for biomarker discovery, diagnostics development, and in vitro model work. If you require samples from other respiratory pathogens, our prospective collection service allows for custom collection tailored to your study design.
Each sample set is supported by detailed clinical metadata including PCR-confirmed viral titres, serology and antibody titres, donor demographics, symptom scores, and longitudinal collection timepoints. All data is handled in compliance with GDPR and UK Data Protection legislation, with participant information managed by hVIVO's dedicated recruitment team. This level of accompanying data is critical for studies where sample context, not just sample type, determines research value.
Yes. Where existing banked samples do not fully meet your requirements, hVIVO can design and execute a prospective collection programme tailored to your study specifications. This includes defining the sample types, collection timepoints, processing protocols, and donor criteria in collaboration with your team. Our GCLP-certified processing laboratory ensures that prospectively collected samples are handled to the same standards as our existing banked material, with full chain-of-custody documentation throughout.
In addition to blood products (whole blood, serum, plasma, PBMCs, buffy coat) and a full range of swab types (nasopharyngeal, throat, nasal wick, and others), hVIVO's biobank also holds saliva, urine, nail clippings, hair, and tear samples. Availability varies by study cohort and collection timepoint. Contact our team to discuss which sample types are available for your specific research application and whether prospective collection would be appropriate to supplement existing banked material.

Contact Us