Database overview

GENEPI is currently the largest tissue bank and database worldwide dedicated exclusively to research on the effects of radiation.  It was created by a multidisciplinary radiotherapy team with the aim of investigating the genetic basis of the variation in individual radiation sensitivity.  If successful this research may usher in an era of individualised radiotherapy treatment and predictive assay for radiation response. 

As well as normal tissues (lymphocytes, blood, stroma, skin, and mucosa) tumour samples are also collected from radiotherapy patients with malignancies in the most common tumour sites: breast, head & neck, lung, prostate and rectum.  The tissues are stored in dispersed biobanks linked to a central database documenting the patient's disease and treatment specific data (including dose-volume histograms and treatment plans) as well as a rigorously graded outcome assessment.

A separate database for extreme overreactors and a tool for selecting areas of interest in the stored dose distributions are currently under development.  The GENEPI software features a public query facility allowing prospective users to assess, after self-registration, whether the tissues needed for their research projects are available within the required parameters and quantity.