Introduction

The FSW houses several -20 and -80 freezers that are used for storing human tissue.

Guidelines

General

• Body material may only be collected when included in the reseach protocol approved by he METC (or internal ethics committee) and after the consent of the participant (Informed Consent).
• Collected body materials may only be stored long term if this has been included in the approved research protocol and the data mananament plan. Also the participant has agreed (Informed Consent).
• Collected body materials may only be used for other studies than those in which the participant participated after the subject has given permission (Informed Consent).
• Collected and stored body materials are coded in such a way that it is ensured that the origin of the sample can be traced at all times. This information must include the name PI or research project, pseudonymized participant number and date of colllection.

A number of user rules apply to the storage and use of freezers (-20 and -80). Below is an explanation of these user rules.

Storage

• Collected body materials can be stored after collection in a refrigerator or freezers in SB.22 (PdlC) or 2.4.24 (Sylvius) for the research day only. Those samples must be moved at the end of the research day to a long-term storage.
• Collected body materials may only be stored long term in freezers that are set up in a restricted area or a locked freezer. For the SSH labs there are freezers available at PdlC and Sylvius.
  Cabinet 2.4.K17 (Sylvius) is available for storage of body materials at room temperature.
• All collected body materials should be "bundled" per research project. This can be a zipper bag or a freezer box. 
• All collected body materials should be removed from the SSH long term storage after analysis.

Access

To gain access to a freezer room or cabinet, you must have a personal activated LU card. The responsible head researcher of the study requests the freezer coordinator of his / her institute for access.

Location management

The SSH freezer areas are managed by Location Management FSW. Classification and / or reclassification takes place exclusively in consultation with the Location Manager FSW.

Location use

The users are responsible for keeping the area on, under, around and in the freezers clean. Final responsibility rests with the appointed freezer coordinators. All materials brought into the freezer room by the user must either be stored in the freezer or taken back out from the freezer room. No items may be left on, under or around the freezer without the permission of the freezer coordinator.

Equipment

The users are at all times responsible for the optimal functioning of the freezers. To prepare for possible malfunctions, all freezers must be provided with the completed "malfunction protocol for freezers" form. The freezer coordinators are responsible for periodically checking and updating the contact details on this form. The Location Management manages the infrastructure, such as pipes, emergency power supplies, Building Management System (BMS) connection and monitoring log and alarms. Purchase of new (extra or replacement) freezers is done by the Location Management FSW.

In case of malfunction: call (071) 527 3600

Backup freezer(s)

Should a situation arise where a -20 freezer breaks down or needs to be cleaned, there is the option for users to temporarily transfer their material to a back-up freezer (including the registration of the samples). When commissioning the back-up freezer, the user must completely fill in the form on the back-up freezer and notify the freezer coordinators / Location Management. If this is not done, the freezer coordinator is entitled to immediately remove the stored material. The user is responsible for keeping the period during which the back-up freezer is used as short as possible and notifies the freezer coordinator / Location management when it is empty again. The back-up freezer should be left clean and free of ice after use by the last user, so that it is immediately available for new temporary use. For a defective -80 freezer, a back-up freezer will be delivered by the supplier (Snijders Labs) within 2-4 hours. There is no standard spare -80 freezer on site.

Cleaning

The users (freezer coordinators) are responsible for cleaning the freezer(s) themselves. Cleaning means: removing materials from the freezer(s) that are no longer used for research (destruction or external storage), removing the build-up of ice and condensation on the inside and on the door. The (periodic) defrosting of a -20 freezer can be done with help from the UFB. A -80 freezer does not need to be (periodically) defrosted.

Function and role of freezer coordinators

The position of freezer coordinator is fulfilled by researchers appointed by and from the institutes. The freezer coordinators have a controlling role with regard to the use of the various freezers for the storage of collected body materials within the FSW. They supervise the use, distribution and (periodic) maintenance / cleaning of the freezers. Furthermore, the freezer coordinators have a coordinating role in providing access to the freezer room and are the first point of contact for support in the event of a calamity. In order to be reachable outside opening hours of the PdlC, the freezer coordinators are equipped by Location Management with a mobile phone. Possession of the phone will be regulated between and by the freezer coordinators.

The current freezer coordinators can be found here.