IMPART Biobank

Dalhousie University, Saint John, New Brunswick
What the facility does

Biorepository of human samples for research on cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.

Areas of expertise

IMPART Biobank is the only cardiovascular biobank in Atlantic Canada with expertise in inflammatory and metabolic diseases, specifically cardiovascular diseases, obesity, and diabetes. Our interests are in biomarker discovery, diagnostics and improving patient outcomes.

IMPART is a biorepository of samples for research purposes serving academic labs at Dalhousie University and affiliated institutions. The Biobank is a biospecimen sourcing partner for researchers worldwide, where we receive, store, processes, and/or disseminate biospecimens, their derivatives, and relevant data. We collect, process and store detailed, annotated human heart samples, serum, plasma and red blood cells from volunteer participants undergoing cardiac surgery, with a collection of over 300 patient samples.

The facility is in close proximity to DMNB research labs, and the Saint John Regional Hospital’s operating rooms that facilitate quick tissue collections, timely processing and storage of human samples. We offer high quality samples in various formats – fixed or frozen.

Research services
  • Access to high-quality tissue samples in various formats (frozen and fixed)
  • Access to complete medical record and post-surgical outcomes
  • Access to super resolution microscopes, high-throughput multiplex assays (bioplex)
  • Access to translational medicine, biotechnology and medical innovation consulting
Sectors of application
  • Education
  • Healthcare and social services
  • Life sciences, pharmaceuticals and medical equipment
EquipmentFunction

Tissue samples:

  • Atrial Appendage samples
  • Subcutaneous adipose tissue
  • Pericardial adipose tissue
  • Periaortic adipose tissue
Available for sharing with collaborators
Eppendorf -80 oC freezersLong term storage of human tissue samples
Bio-Plex Immunoassay SystemHigh-throughput protein quantification
Ella Multiplex SystemSingle analyte and multiplex protein quantification
Cell culture incubatorsFor human cell culturing
Cell culture hoodsFor tissue dissections and cell culturing activities
  • Servier Canada
  • Pfizer Canada
  • Medtronic Canada
  • Cloud DX
  • ProtoKinetix
  • Breathe BioMedical
  • Pivotal Health Solutions
TitleHyperlink
Glucolipotoxicity diminishes cardiomyocyte TFEB and inhibits lysosomal autophagy during obesity and diabeteshttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1388198116302414
Impact of Obesity on Postoperative Outcomes following cardiac Surgery (The OPOS study): rationale and design of an investigator-initiated prospective studyhttps://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/3/e023418.abstract
Changes in circulating monocyte subsets (CD16 expression) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio observed in patients undergoing cardiac surgeryhttps://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcvm.2017.00012/full
Validation of optimal reference genes for quantitative real time PCR in muscle and adipose tissue for obesity and diabetes researchhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-03730-9
Lysophosphatidic acid receptor mRNA levels in heart and white adipose tissue are associated with obesity in mice and humanshttps://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0189402
Fibrosis independent atrial fibrillation in older patients is driven by substrate leukocyte infiltration: diagnostic and prognostic implications to patients undergoing cardiac surgeryhttps://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12967-019-02162-5
Serum GDF15, a promising biomarker in obese patients undergoing heart surgeryhttps://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcvm.2020.00103/full
Adverse outcomes in obese cardiac surgery patients correlates with altered branched-chain amino acid catabolism in adipose tissue and hearthttps://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2020.00534/full