Great Neck, N.Y.-based Northwell Health is collaborating with German oncology research company Indivumed to expand the health system's cancer biobank capabilities and create personalized cancer treatment approaches.
Under the three-year agreement, the health system will collect lung, breast, colorectal, pancreatic and other cancer tissues for research and storage. Hospitals within the Northwell Health network participating in the research endeavor include Manhasset, N.Y.-based North Shore University Hospital, Queens, N.Y.-based Long Island Jewish Medical Center and New York City-based Lenox Hill Hospital. Officials said additional hospitals will join the program at a later date.
"This agreement is important on several fronts," said James Crawford, MD, PhD, executive director and senior vice president of laboratory services at Northwell Health. "Creating a systemwide approach to biobanking of human cancer tissues expands our ability to conduct metabolic, as well as gene-based, cancer treatment research. By participating in the Indivumed global network, we'll be helping to build a critical mass of biological samples and clinical data for use in unique research and clinical trials for our community."