Clinical Research Labs (CRL) have been processing, cryopreserving and shipping Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMCs), cytobrushes and various human samples from 2014. In my capacity as a senior scientist, at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Medical School, I have been working with CRL since 2014. This letter serves to indicate my support for CRL as an entity that serves researchers. CRL is a highly efficient lab with regards to data entry, labelling, processing and biobanking of samples. The Managing Director, Mrs S. Sidhoo, has mastered the skills of project managing the lab aspect of protocols and her expertise in Research studies is appreciated. She has accrued significant skills with the above-mentioned aspects. I highly recommend CRL based on the sample integrity, cryopreservation and logistics is always the key elements that CRL does not neglect. I would like to offer my full support for CRL as an exceptional sample processing facility.
Clinical Research Laboratories (CRL) have been processing, cryopreserving and shipping PBMCs and mononuclear cells, from the female genital tract, for about 130 clinical trial participants on the Women's Health, Injectable Contraception and HIV study (WHICH) (Part 1) study. In addition, they have also been aliquoting, storing and shipping serum, swabs and urine for about 520 trial participants on this study. As Co-Investigator on the study, I have dealt (personal meetings, emails, phone calls) with the CRL team throughout the whole process and can honestly say that they are extremely efficient, highly capable and very professional. Their record keeping system and labelling of vials/samples is very clear and accurate. 1 have years of hands on experience in mammalian tissue culture, including PBMC processing and as lead mechanistical researcher with hands on experience on the bench with the samples CRL have prepared and sent to us (including PBMCs), I have absolute no negative feedback. The purity and quality of their PBMCs and mononuclear cells are extremely high and from my experience, the viability of their cryopreserved cells is excellent. CRL has made co-ordinating a multi-site clinical trial very easy and based on my experience with them, I can honestly recommend using them for any sample processing, cryopreserving and shipment needs.