Kaauh - Biobank

About Us

About Nourah’s Tissue Biobank

Nourah’s Tissue Biobank offers storage, processing, and servicing for biological samples used in research. These clinical samples are obtained from healthy or ill individuals who had previously given their agreement for the use of their samples in science and research. Databases including molecular, physiological, and structural details pertinent to these collections and accompanying bioinformatics are linked to biological samples. This enables our biobank to satisfy the majority of research requests. Nourah’s Tissue Biobank is a crucial component of the PNU infrastructure supporting departments of research and scientific inquiry. Nourah’s Tissue Biobank is entirely dedicated to maintaining the privacy of donors by anonymizing their data to all the scientist and researchers that access the data and samples.

VISION

To be recognized as a leader center nationally and internationally in research and particular in translational research.

MISSION

To provide a high-quality service in biospecimen depository and medical database to advance research. Also, offers excellent educational and academic opportunities to share knowledge and experience.

SCOPE

The main goal of Nourah’s Tissue Biobank is to provide samples especially tissues for different types of NCDs studies.
Store samples as requested by researchers in the scope of our research priorities.
IRB approval is a must for accepting the research proposal by the Tissue Biobank scientific committees.
Biological samples including but not limited to tumor, fat, muscle, and liver are going to be collected, processed, stored, and distributed for the approved research proposal.
Fetal tissues are excluded from our Biobank for ethical complications.

Objective

To collect, store, process, and distribute biological samples, which are associated with patient’s medical records and epidemiological data.

To provide biological samples that are suitable for conducting cutting-edge clinical and medical research.

To advance medical research activities within and outside PNU by providing resources, samples, and data to the scientific community which will improve the public health of the Saudi population.

To educate, promote, and encourage PNU students in research activities.

To decrease the cost of discarding the extra biological samples.

To develop innovative approaches in specimen collection, processing, and storage.

Maximize researcher access to biological samples and associated data.

Maximize collaborations between researchers within and outside PNU, partner organizations, other research organizations and key stakeholders.

Values

Respect for patients/participant autonomy.

Respect religious & social values.

Transparency.

Outstanding work ethics.

Privacy and confidentiality.

High quality services.

Collaboration.

Innovation.

Biobank Team

Dr. Al-Masud, Alaa A.A.

Dr. Alaa AlMasud is the Founder and Head section of Nourah's Tissue Biobank at Natural and Health Sciences Research Center, at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University (PNU), and a Research Scientist specializing in the impact of body composition changes in cancer and other conditions. She completed her Master’s and PhD at the University of Alberta in 2017 and was recognized among the top 20 participants in the PNU Executive Leadership Program. Her research focuses on using nutrients and adjuvants like Omega-3 fatty acids to prevent pathological body composition changes and enhance the effectiveness of cancer treatments. Dr. AlMasud also holds multiple leadership and advisory roles in prestigious committees, including the Saudi Oncology Society, the American Association of Cancer Research, and the National Nutrition Committee under the Saudi Food and Drug Authority.

Certifications

Ms. Faloudah, Sarah F. M

Ms. Faloudah is a Medical Laboratory Technologist at the Nourah's Tissue Biobank section at Natural and Health Sciences Research Center, PNU. She holds a BSC in clinical laboratory sciences from King Saud University, Saudi Arabia. She has over five years expoerence in clinical laboratory settigns. She developed Nourah's Tissue Biobank training program, and she is the training supervisor and coordinator at Nourah's Tissue Biobank.

Certifications

Mr. Al-Sharafa, Meshal M. A.

Mr. Alsharafa is Medical Laboratory Technologist at Nourah's Tissue Biobank section at Natural and Health Sciences Research Center, PNU. He holds a BSC degree in clinical laboratory sciences from King Saud University, Saudi Arabia. Mr. Alsharafa has an extensive training in histopathology and cytopathology from King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center and Training in laboratory procedures, quality control and safety in National Guard Health Affairs - King Abdulaziz Medical City. He is the supervisor of Advanced imaging unit of NHSRC.

Certifications

Mr. Alonazi, Sami A. F.

أخصائي أول في طب المختبرات، حصل على درجتي البكالوريوس والماجستير من جامعة رويال ملبورن، ملبورن، أستراليا 2008-2015 في طب المختبرات متخصص في علم الأمراض النسيجية وعلم الأمراض الخلوية. مجال خبرته الرئيسية تكمن في مجال المناعة النسيجية وكذلك في إعداد اعتمادات CAP وCBAHI وISO بسبب مساهمته الفعلية في كتابة سياسات وإجراءات قسم علم الأمراض النسيجية وعلم الأمراض الخلوية في مستشفى الملك عبد الله بن عبد العزيز الجامعي. أدواره الأخرى مدرجة أدناه:

المساعدة البحثية في العديد من المشاريع المتعلقة بتشخيص السرطان باستخدام المناعة النسيجية في سرطان الرئة في ملبورن.

أخصائي طب الأمراض النسيجية I ومنسق التعليم في قسم علم الأمراض والطب المخبري، مستشفى الملك عبد الله الجامعي.

أخصائي طب الأمراض النسيجية II، المختبر المركزي لمستشفى الحرس الوطني.

أخصائي طب الأمراض النسيجية والطوارئ II مدينة الملك سعود الطبية، المختبر الإقليمي