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This image is a banner for "Science Wednesdays" by Open Medicine Foundation. It has a blue background with hexagonal shapes and a DNA-like structure on the right, symbolizing scientific research.

Types of Biosamples

From the Desk of Dr. Danielle Meadows,
Vice President of Research Programs & Operations

Professional headshot of Danielle Meadows smiling at the camera.

Last month I talked more in depth about ethics review as a critical part of the first stage of the research process when conducting any study on human subjects. So this month, let’s move forward to the “Recruitment, Data Collection” stage of the research process and talk about one aspect that’s often a focus of an ethics review: the collection of biological materials from participants.

The image is a flowchart with four stages of the research process: "Study Design, IRB/Ethics Review”,”Recruitment, Data Collection”, “Data Analysis” and “Publication." The second stage, "Recruitment, Data Collection," is highlighted with a teal background, indicating emphasis.

One important aspect of designing a study is determining the number of participants that will be included. It’s a difficult balance between trying to design a study with the best odds of producing an impactful result and working within the resources available.

At OMF, we try to use our resources wisely, focusing on scientifically rigorous research that has the potential to guide future research and patient care as quickly as possible. Conducting well-powered research is a big part of that mission, so I want to explain a little bit about what that means from a science perspective and how it impacted the design of our first clinical trial.

The Heart of the Matter

  • Biosamples are biological samples collected from people for research or medical purposes.
  • There are many types of biosamples, including blood, urine, saliva, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and tissue. Each type is valuable in research for different reasons.
  • Biosamples are important for ME/CFS research, as they provide objective insight into what’s going on in the body. They are crucial components of biomarker discovery, understanding mechanisms of disease, and informing treatment protocols.
  • OMF’s Collaborative Center at Uppsala is conducting a study on the CSF of people with ME/CFS to provide unique insight into the pathophysiology of the disease based on its impact on the central nervous system.

Biosamples are biological materials that are collected from human subjects for research or medical purposes and are typically stored in a biobank. There are numerous types of biosamples, and each type of biosample has its own use cases in research and medicine.

What are the types of biosamples?

There is a wide variety of biological samples that are used in research, including:

  • Blood: Blood is one of the most common biosamples collected, and can be used as whole blood or its different components, like plasma or serum. It’s useful for a large number of tests and is easily translatable to clinical use, hence its popularity.
  • Urine: Urine is an easily collected biosample, and its main use cases are in assessing kidney function and metabolomics.
  • Saliva: Saliva is not as commonly collected as other biosamples because its uses are more limited, but it is particularly helpful in genetics research as it’s less invasive to collect than blood.
  • Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF): CSF is an important biosample for diseases involving the central nervous system, as it provides unique insight into what’s happening in the brain. It requires a lumbar puncture to collect, though, so it’s rarely used.
  • Tissue: Tissues like muscle and skin are collected in a procedure called a biopsy and are most commonly used medically to diagnose disease.
How are biosamples used in ME/CFS research?

Given the lack of a clear understanding of the disease mechanism and diagnostic tool for ME/CFS, biosamples are crucial for research in the field. Testing on biosamples provides objective measurements that can provide insight into the pathophysiology of the disease and potentially yield a diagnostic and/or prognostic biomarker. Test results performed on biosamples are also important components of clinical management of ME/CFS, particularly when combined with symptom presentation.

OMF utilizes biosamples in the vast majority of its research studies. One example is a project conducted at OMF’s Collaborative Center at Uppsala, in which the team is analyzing the CSF of people with ME/CFS. This project will help gain a better understanding of what’s going on in the central nervous system and aim to identify changes in the proteome based on clinical severity and the presence of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. Read more about the study on our website.

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