NGS-screened tissue blocks & sets
Say goodbye to guesswork about which tissue samples carry the biomarkers you need. Now, you can source biomarker-screened, fully characterized FFPE blocks and sets so you know exactly which genomic alterations are present before you even get them into your lab (and before you dive into your testing).
We’re here to make your experience with sourcing DNA/RNA sequenced FFPE tissue hassle-free, with help from a dedicated, expert customer support team.
The result? Decreased validation timelines, increased clinical insight and fewer surprises along the way
TRUSTED BY LEADING RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS
Quality-controlled
All tissues undergo a full review by our in-house pathology team and a nucleic acid extraction QC, ensuring that only well-preserved samples make it to your lab bench.
Fast delivery
By maintaining all inventory onsite in our lab, we offer rapid processing and next-day shipping on most orders, supporting your research without unnecessary delays.
Affordable
With pricing that’s often 50–75% lower than traditional suppliers, you never have to choose between quality and affordability. With us, you get both.
Large selection
Our comprehensive inventory spans tumor and normal tissue blocks from all major organs and cancer types, giving you broad access to the specimens you need.
Our genomically profiled specimens, at a glance
Our NGS-screened FFPE blocks and matched sets span all major cancer types and commonly used normal control tissues — so you can start with clarity, not assumptions.
Our genomic profiling covers the full range of clinically relevant variant types, from single-nucleotide variants and small insertions/deletions to broader genomic signatures like MSI, tumor mutational burden, copy number variation (CNV), large genomic rearrangements, homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) and HLA-typing. Each specimen is characterized upfront so you know exactly what alterations are present before testing begins.
All sequencing is performed in accredited clinical laboratories using validated workflows. This ensures consistent data quality, reliable variant calling, and confidence that results align with real-world clinical and diagnostic standards.
We offer tumor-only specimens as well as matched tumor–normal sets and preferred normal control tissues. These options support assay development, validation, and comparative analyses with fewer variables and greater confidence.
Each specimen includes a clear, structured clinical report summarizing detected alterations, along with access to raw data files (e.g., FASTQ, BAM, VCF) for independent analysis. You retain full flexibility in how data is reviewed, validated, and applied downstream.
Specimens are available across multiple formats, including FFPE tissue, fresh frozen tissue, plasma, and matched multi-analyte sets. This flexibility allows you to align specimen type with your specific assay requirements and development stage.
What you see is what you get. Pricing, data deliverables, and specimen details are clearly defined upfront, so there are no unexpected add-ons, fees, or last-minute changes once your project is underway.
When you source NGS-screened specimens from Reference Medicine, you can count on:
- Verified quality at every step
- Transparent, usable data - no black boxes
- Fast, reliable turnaround to keep validation moving
We make it simply and easy to get the variant-specific samples you need
We know that your time is precious, and we also know that your experiment can not be on hold for week or months (or dare we say it, ‘years!’) for specimens. That is why we do all the prep work for you, so we always have ready-to-ship, fit-for-purpose specimens ready to ship to your lab within days – less waiting, more science.
1. Review our Inventory
You can review and download current inventory, or you can ping us at hello@referencemedicine.com and we’ll get the latest listing right over to you. If you are looking for one of our pilot collections (i.e. longitudinal sets), these are not currently on the website, so please email us.
2. Request a quote
See specimens you would like to acquire? Simply send us an email or submit your request online and we’ll quickly build your order and get you a quote. Alternatively, you can send us specimen requirements and we are happy to help you navigate our inventory and make your selections.
3. Become a customer
Prior to transferring the specimens, we will need an agreement in place. To start this process, visit and complete our Customer Onboarding Form. In addition, feel free to connect us with your procurement team and we will work with them to get set up as a supplier in your system.
4. Place your order
To lock in your request, send us a Purchase Order or you can submit a signed quote. Once either of those are received, you’ll receive an emailed confirmation from us with our planned ship date and your shipping address. We will then ship whenever it is convenient for you!
What you can expect with our NGS-screened tissue blocks & sets
You’re a request away from getting access to biomarker-screened, characterized specimens with all the data you could need. Data is provided in an XLSX format with other formats and PDF genomic reports available upon request.
These samples can include:
- Common pathogenic or presumed pathogenic variants (e.g., p53, APC)
- Variants prevalent in 20-50% of cancers (e.g., EGFR, KRAS, PIK3CA)
- Highly mutated and rare variants and fusions (e.g., MSI high, TMB high, ALK fusion)
When it comes to our data, our sequencing panels vary, but our most common ones include Illumina’s TruSight 500 Comprehensive DNA and RNA panel, Burning Rock’s OncoScreen Plus, and various Archer targeted sequencing panels.
What you can expect with Reference Medicine samples
HIGH STANDARDS OF COLLECTION, ANNOTATION, AND OUR DELIGHT GUARANTEE
Our FFPE blocks and slides are collected under IRB-approved protocols from partner hospitals and labs.
Every FFPE block we receive goes through in-house DNA QC, ensuring specimen applicability for downstream molecular analysis.
Your delight is always guaranteed! We stand by our products and time-tested techniques 100%. If there are any issues with your order, we will make it right - replace it, refund it, whatever it takes to ensure you're positively delighted.
Enjoy complimentary H&E slides with all of your FFPE tissue shipments - no extra costs, no need to ask.
All of our samples undergo on-site pathologist review, including tissue quality (tumor and necrosis percentage), diagnosis confirmation, and IHC analysis & annotation when clinically applicable.
Our NGS-screened tissue blocks & sets provide tumor and normal FFPE specimens (and matched sets) carefully sequenced across DNA and RNA, so you work with samples that already carry the molecular insights your assays need.
Get in touch today to explore our current inventory and custom collection options.
QC so nice, we do it twice
Acquiring samples with poor preservation is simply a nightmare. We perform rigorous checks at every step, including DNA and RNA yield and fragmentation analysis, so your specimens never miss the mark.
Step 01
Patient enrollment
Specimen collections at accredited hospitals under strict regulatory approvals.
Step 02
Solid pre-analytics
Timely and careful specimen preparation and processing, adhering to precise procedures.
Step 03
Pathology review
Board-certified review for tissue quality, tumor %, necrosis %, and diagnosis confirmation.
Step 04
Nucleic acid check
Extract DNA for yield and quality verification, along with genomic annotation.
Step 05
Game time!
High-quality, purpose-built specimens that are ready to ship to your lab.
Precision specimen and data collections lead to the best results. We know.
We are more than just a specimen provider, we are your partner who works side-by-side with you to share knowledge so we can all do better science. From microtomy tips and validation cohort advice, to best practices for tissue grossing and preservation, we are here to support you every step of the way.
