National Disease Research Interchange (NDRI)
Sponsoring organization
National Disease Research Interchange (NDRI)
Repository website
Primary contact
Daniel Remer
Rare Disease Program Manager
National Disease Research Interchange
8 Penn Center, 15th Floor
1628 JFK Boulevard
Philadelphia, PA 19103
1-800-222-6374 ext 257
Sample types available
NDRI supplies virtually every tissue of the human body, both diseased and normal. Examples include whole and partial organs, such as heart, kidney, lung, brain, liver, and eyes, as well as bones and joints for biomechanical and orthopedic studies. Specialized programs include the HIV Research Program and the Rare Disease Initiative.
Biospecimens are preserved as fresh, frozen, snap-frozen, fixed, embedded in paraffin blocks, or in a cryomold with optimal cutting temperature (OCT) media.
Sample-processing information
NDRI will modify or change an existing protocol for researchers upon request.
Fresh: Tissues are placed immediately in media (typically Dulbecco modified Eagle medium or Roswell Park Memorial Institute medium) in a clean container. If desired, antibiotics may be added to inhibit bacterial growth. The sealed container is stored at 4°C and shipped on ice, unless otherwise specified by the researcher.
Frozen: Tissues are placed in a clean container and stored at –70°C. Tissues are shipped on dry ice.
Snap-frozen: Tissues are placed in a clean container and immediately snap-frozen in either liquid nitrogen or a dry ice/ethanol bath. Tissues are stored at –70°C and shipped on dry ice. There is a surcharge for this procedure.
OCT: Small tissue samples are placed in a specialized cassette, covered with freezing medium, and snap-frozen as above.
Fixed: Tissues are submerged in 10% buffered formalin and maintained at room temperature for storage and shipping.
Paraffin embedded: Tissues are fixed in 10% buffered formalin and sent to a specialized processing facility for embedding in a paraffin block. There is a surcharge for this procedure.
Other fixatives or media: We will order other fixatives or media for an added fee. NDRI will also distribute researcher-supplied media to its tissue-procurement sources.
Data available for each sample
The circumstances of each donor are unique. For autopsy donors, NDRI is generally provided with the time of death, age, race, sex, and a medical and social history profile provided by the next of kin. Often (but not always), the source also provides a list of acute and chronic medications, temperature readings, and results of recent blood cultures. For transplant donors, all of the above information, as well as serological testing results, HLA type, and a reason that the organ was not transplanted are also provided. For surgical donors, health privacy laws greatly restrict the information that is available, so only age, sex, and reason for the surgical procedure are provided. Our Rare Disease Initiative can sometimes obtain a more detailed medical history from the donor's physicians but cannot guarantee any specific information. We can do HLA typing for an added fee for all types of specimens.
Quantity of available samples
NDRI prides itself on its ability to customize tissue recoveries to meet your exact research needs. We encourage interested researchers to contact the research services department to discuss their specific needs. NDRI will make every effort to find a source for the tissues you need in a timely fashion.
NDRI's biospecimen catalog is available at http://www.ndriobc.org/ndriobc/.
As of April 10, 2012, multiple sclerosis samples listed in the Online Biospecimen Catalog include:
4 1-cm3 brain/midbrain
2 5-gram adipose
1 half-brain/hemisphere
2 10-gram brain/cerebrum
1 5-gram brain/cerebrum
1 10-gram brain sample
1 6-cc cerebrospinal fluid
1 2-cm spinal cord
1 1-cm sample of mostly nerve and optic tissue
2 10-gram muscle/skeletal
3 1-cm3 brain/cortex
2 whole thymus
3 1-cm3 brain/cerebellum
Who can request samples
Any researcher, whether academic, industry, domestic, or international. All requests for cells, tissues, and organs for research are reviewed for merit and feasibility.
Cost
All tissues are freely donated by individuals or their next of kin for research purposes. The fees associated with tissues reflect the infrastructure required to match samples with researchers and to procure, process, and ship tissues. Also, there are additional charges depending on how you would like your samples preserved and if you require serology testing.
How to request samples
Fill out an application at http://www.inspiritec.org/smartapp/.
Requirements associated with sample use
Upon approval, NDRI develops an individualized protocol for the procurement, preservation, and distribution of tissue samples based on the information provided within this application.
Ongoing sample collection?
Yes.
Sample publications
No publications pertaining to MS or related disorders listed as of May 4, 2012.