Topics covered in this article:
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Background and overview
Distribution Protocols are created to capture important information regarding the distribution of samples to collaborators or to track samples sent for processing at cores that won’t be returned (like sending an aliquot for NGS that won’t be returned to you). Creating a Distribution Protocol with the important details as outlined in this document ensures that all necessary information is captured for future reference (i.e. audits), but also allows for multiple shipments over time to the same project without having to reenter all of the information.
Specimens are considered ‘distributed’ when they are shared with or given to collaborators or other labs on campus or externally. When a sample is marked as ‘Distributed and Closed’, it no longer is available for any future processing or editing. This is different from a ‘Shipment’ in OpenSpecimen. If a sample is shipped, it remains active and available in the system, but is likely located in a different laboratory. That other laboratory can access the specimen in your protocol (with permissions) and perform and record additional processing on that sample.
In most cases, labs on campus will be ‘distributing’ samples unless the laboratory receiving the samples will also have access to your OpenSpecimen collection protocol to continue to track and process those samples and their derivatives and aliquots. 'Shipments' are specifically used to track the movement of specimens from one location (site) to another. For instance, you can ship samples to the CTRC for processing and long-term storage. In this case, your samples are still active and available for you to see, but their location is elsewhere. And the new location (CTRC) can now perform services on them, like extracting DNA or creating blood separation products, and those events can be tracked within your protocol.Distribution Protocols are created to capture important information regarding the distribution of samples to collaborators or to track samples sent for processing at cores that won’t be returned (like sending an aliquot for NGS that won’t be returned to you). Creating a Distribution Protocol with the important details as outlined in this document ensures that all necessary information is captured for future reference (i.e. audits), but also allows for multiple shipments over time to the same project without having to reenter all of the information.
Prerequisites
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| title | Expand to read the what needs to be done prior to beginning the process of creating a DP and distributing specimens |
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To use requests and approvals, you should have a Specimen Catalog: this will allow you or your collaborators (with permissions) to select the samples that they would like to request. Specimens can be distributed directly from any specimen screen, but the requests and approvals will not be tracked using this method. Order Custom Fields (optional): If you want to collect additional information (fields like ‘shipping address’ or MTA) you need to create these as a custom form and they should be attached to your DP. <link to KB>. Order Report Query (optional): To specify the data to include along with the specimens, you can create a query with the columns to include when distributing specimens. (link to KB) To create a DP, your user role must include Create/Edit Distribution Protocol rights. The receiving Institute, Principal Investigator, and receiving Site (optional) need to be added to OpenSpecimen by an Administrator.
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Now that you’ve sorted out the above considerations, it’s time to create your DP! Expand below:
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| title | Click here to learn how to create your Distribution Protocol |
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Select ‘Distribution Protocols’ from the navigation bar. Choose ‘Create’.
 Complete the fields with the information gathered in the first section. Required Fields: Title: descriptive of the DP: “Dr. Smith’s specimen request for Project XYZ” Short Title: recognizable acronym or shortened discription, “Smith XYZ” Receiving Institute: (Institute to which requestor belongs; ‘USC’) Principal Investigator: Requesting PI (must belong to the Institute specified above). Distributing Site(s): Sites allowed to send samples to the above PI. (Note that sometimes a PI will request specimens from multiple projects. So this DP can be used by multiple users and CPs.)
Optional Fields Receiving Site: if there is a division, dept, or lab associated with the receiving PI, you can optionally specify this. It would have to be added to OpenSpecimen by an Administrator. Coordinators: these are the actual members of teh receiving site lab who will be receiving or handling the samples and need to be notified of the shipment and will receive any attachments, like the sample metadata. Ethics ID: This is the IRB number associated with the project belonging to the receiving site. Start and End Dates can be added for DPs that will have shipments sent over time. For instance, some DPs request samples that meet specific criteria to be shipped on a weekly or monthly basis. Label format: this can be specified if samples are being relabeled upon distribution. Order Custom Fields: These are your custom fields that can be added to any distribution. Order Report Query: These are the specific data fields that will be sent to the investigator along with the specimens. If no custom query is defined, the manifest will include the standard fields (what are these?). Order attachment: this specifies whether the email notifications will include sample data as .csv, .pdf, or both types. Email notifications: if enabled, all users specified in the above fields will receive a notification of sample shipment once the samples are distributed.
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