Various hypotheses are currently explored regarding COVID-19 and its pathogenesis; however, the clinical spectrum of symptoms, severity and outcomes are not fully understood. Identifying how host response and co-morbidities impact disease presentation and progression are important to enable the development of treatments and predictive markers.

In March 2020, Coventry and Warwickshire Pathology Service began saving clinical samples from COVID patients for verification of new assays. Ethical approval was obtained to continue, thus providing a biobank for future collaborative research efforts. Challenges included; the need to establish an effective detection system for samples, the standardisation of procedures to enable timely processing, the organisation of DNA extraction and the storage of samples in an HTA approved facility.

Daily search routines were developed to generate lists in a standardised template, enabling staff to identify and retrieve samples quickly. Sample processing was centralised and managed by re-deployed staff. Given supply chain issues with RNA extraction consumables for automated platforms, a manual approach to DNA extraction was taken with the help of local university research staff. Finally, collaboration with the UHCW Arden Tissue Bank enabled the storage of samples, complying with all legislation and regulatory procedures.

As a result of the strategies employed, over 10,000 samples have been stored, with numbers continuing to rise. Clinical information has been sourced including; ethnicity, co-morbidities, ventilation, and patient outcome. This has enabled grouping of patients based on disease severity. Since multiple samples from single patients were saved, this has allowed for disease trajectory focussed projects.

Not only is the biobank providing samples for trust-led research, through Arden Tissue Bank, samples and ethics can be supplied to academic, commercial and charity organisations - both nationally and internationally.