The Tumour Tissue Data Repository (TDDR), part of the Canadian Cancer Trials Group (CCTG), is housed in a purpose-built space at Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC). The facility also supports the Queen’s Laboratory for Molecular Pathology (QLMP), bringing tissue banking, molecular pathology, and advanced research infrastructure together in a single, integrated environment that supports cancer research and collaboration.
About the Tumour Tissue Data Repository
Established in 1997, the TDDR is a biorepository that houses tumour tissue and related biospecimens collected through CCTG-led cancer clinical trials spanning decades across the world.
By preserving diagnostic and serial tissue samples, the repository enables researchers to explore critical questions such as:
- Why certain cancers respond to therapy while others do not
- How cancers change over time and under treatment pressure
- Which biological markers may predict treatment response, residual disease, or relapse
As clinical trials continue to evolve, access to high-quality tissue samples is essential to advancing more personalized and effective cancer therapies.
Previously located across multiple sites at Queen’s University, the new KHSC-based facility reflects the growth of the program and the need for modern, consolidated space to support expanding national and international research activity.
Learn more about the TTDR on the Canadian Cancer Trials Group website.
The facility at KHSC
The new TDDR facility at KHSC was developed to meet the growing space, infrastructure, and collaboration needs of the program. In addition to storing samples, it includes advanced equipment for the Queen’s University Molecular Pathology Laboratory.
The facility includes:
- Purpose-built tissue banking and high-capacity freezer infrastructure
- Advanced digital pathology and image analysis platforms
- Centralized laboratory services supporting multi-institutional research
- Secure data management and integrated sample tracking systems
Advancing cancer research together
By bringing teams and resources together under one roof, the facility enhances day-to-day efficiencies, strengthens collaboration, and amplifies research impact.
This facility represents a partnership between:
- Canadian Cancer Trials Group (CCTG)
- Queen’s University, including Pathology and Molecular Medicine
- Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC)
- KHSC Research Institute (KHSC-RI)
- The broader Queen’s and academic research community
KHSC and KHSC-RI facilitate the space and infrastructure that enable this work, supporting Queen’s and CCTG researchers in advancing cancer science.
The facility is open to Queen’s University and affiliated academic researchers, reinforcing KHSC’s role as a hub for clinical research and innovation.
By providing a centralized, modern facility, KHSC and KHSC-RI are helping to ensure that research infrastructure keeps pace with the expanding scope of cancer clinical trials. The new TDDR location strengthens collaboration, supports discovery, and reinforces Kingston’s role in national and international cancer research.
