Submit a Request to the BioBank
To submit a biological specimen request, link to the iLab website https://cores.stonybrookmedicine.edu/service_center/show_external/3974.
Please read the FAQs below before submitting your request.
FAQs for Requests:
To whom can the BioBank distribute physical samples?: Currently, the Biobank only distributes biological samples to PIs within Stony Brook University and their collaborators. If you are not a Stony Brook faculty member, please contact us directly for enquiries.
How long will it take to get my samples?: Depending on the amount required, samples are generally processed immediately upon committee approval. The approval of the committee, however, may take 1 to 4 days, depending on the IRB or IRB exemption status of the application at the time of request.
What do you mean by IRB or IBR exemption status?: A) An IRB approval is needed if you are requesting samples with PHI (Protected Health Information) data attached. The IRB number is proof that you have filed an IRB protocol with, and that it has been approved by, SUNY SBU Office of Research Compliance. For more information on what constitute HIPAA/PHI data, see below.
B) IRB exemption letter is needed if you do not request PHI data with your samples, you will be asked to show an exemption letter from the office of research compliance. This generally can be obtained quickly, usually within 1-2 days.
Can I request data instead of physical samples?: Yes. Data requests may incur charges depending on the complexity of the search and task.
What constitute PHI data?: any information in the medical record or designated record set that can be used to identify an individual and that was created, used, or disclosed in the course of providing a health care service such as diagnosis or treatment. HIPAA regulations allow researchers to access and use PHI when necessary to conduct research. However, HIPAA only affects research that uses, creates, or discloses PHI that will be entered in to the medical record or will be used for healthcare services, such as treatment, payment or operations. For example, PHI is used in research studies involving review of existing medical records for research information, such as retrospective chart review. Also, studies that create new medical information because a health care service is being performed as part of research, such as diagnosing a health condition or a new drug or device for treating a health condition, create PHI that will be entered into the medical record. For example, sponsored clinical trails that submit data to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration involve PHI and are therefore subject to HIPAA regulations. To learn more, click here and here. Here is a list of 18 PHI identifier that, if needed for your research, will require that you get an IRB approval:
1. Names;
2. All geographical subdivisions smaller than a State, including street address, city, county, precinct, zip code, and their equivalent geocodes, except for the initial three digits of a zip code, if according to the current publicly available data from the Bureau of the Census: (1) The geographic unit formed by combining all zip codes with the same three initial digits contains more than 20,000 people; and (2) The initial three digits of a zip code for all such geographic units containing 20,000 or fewer people is changed to 000.
3. All elements of dates (except year) for dates directly related to an individual, including birth date, admission date, discharge date, date of death; and all ages over 89 and all elements of dates (including year) indicative of such age, except that such ages and elements may be aggregated into a single category of age 90 or older;
4. Phone numbers;
5. Fax numbers;
6. Electronic mail addresses;
7. Social Security numbers;
8. Medical record numbers;
9. Health plan beneficiary numbers;
10. Account numbers;
11. Certificate/license numbers;
12. Vehicle identifiers and serial numbers, including license plate numbers;
13. Device identifiers and serial numbers;
14. Web Universal Resource Locators (URLs);
15. Internet Protocol (IP) address numbers;
16. Biometric identifiers, including finger and voice prints;
17. Full face photographic images and any comparable images; and
18. Any other unique identifying number, characteristic, or code (note this does not mean the unique code assigned by the investigator to code the data)
