GCLP - Good Clinical Laboratory Practice

- GCLP is a quality standard for the analysis of clinical trial samples and which incorporates the legal requirements of GCP.

- Liverpool GCLP Facility aims to produce transparent, reliable, reproducible results whilst also giving traceability, auditability and accountability.

- Liverpool GCLP Facility are developing and building on current systems to ensure GCLP compliance and excellent standards.

The Liverpool Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre (LECMC) was established in April 2007 with joint funding from Cancer Research UK and the Department of Health.  Its aim is to enable the full integration and optimal exploitation of local resources for clinical trials (in particular early phase trials) for a variety of different cancers.  A significant number of the trials have associated sample collection and sample analysis. These trials are underway at the Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology, Wirral and The Royal Liverpool University Hospital.  A major focus of the LECMC within its first year has been the establishment and equipping of dedicated laboratories for sample collection and analyses from clinical trials to the standard of Good Clinical Laboratory Practice in the University's Division of Surgery and Oncology.

The LECMC has already made a significant investment in GCLP.  In 2007, £319K has been spent on refurbishing (£79k) and equipping (£240k) dedicated laboratories for the storage and analysis of patient samples to GCLP standard.  The facilities were further expanded in 2009, now comprising the main GCLP Laboratory, Instrument Room, Molecular Biology Laboratory, Microbiology Laboratory and Biobank Freezer Room. There are three core research technicians and a postdoctoral research fellow appointed.  There is also a Quality Assurance Manager in post to ensure GCLP compliance. In addition, University of Liverpool staff, working on diverse clinical trials, have been inducted and use the facility.

Further details can be found on the GCLP webpages on the University of Liverpool's website.