Why Support Research?
Researchers working to understand and develop new therapies for a wide range of diseases, including cancer, diabetes, arthritis, and heart disease, rely on donated tissues for their investigations. Progress in treating common and rare diseases hinges on access to both normal and diseased human tissues. But these donated tissues are often in short supply.
The tissue bank is in a unique position to further such research, which may ultimately benefit the lives of millions. Many tissues not suitable for transplant can be donated for research, giving individuals and families the opportunity to advance medical science and contribute to the development of new treatments and cures.
Excluded donors can often donate tissues for research. The research donation generally occurs after recovery of tissues for transplantation, so it does not interfere with normal recovery procedures.
Why Tissue Banks Partner with NDRI
NDRI’s experience in providing anatomical gifts for research is unmatched. Many tissue banks work exclusively with NDRI to manage their tissue-for- research programs. In deciding who to partner with for your research program, please consider the following.
- Integrity of research assured — Requests from bona fide researchers are reviewed and approved by NDRI’s staff and application feasibility committee, which is comprised of leading physicians and researchers.
- Federal government oversight — NDRI is the only independent organization providing anatomical gifts for research that receives major funding and oversight from federal agencies, such as the National Institutes of Health.
- Quick and easy retrieval — NDRI staff respond quickly, 24 hours a day. Our streamlined retrieval procedures and experience with federal regulations concerning privacy, informed consent and handling of biomaterials make recovery of research tissue easy and efficient.
- Timely feedback — NDRI promptly reports how tissues are used so that you can share the information with families.
The Referral and Recovery Process
Many researchers need donated organs and tissues within hours of death, so it is essential that the recovery process be coordinated as efficiently as possible. This process involves:
- Obtaining informed research consent from the donor's family
- Conducting serology testing on the donor
- Contacting NDRI
- Recovering organs and/or tissues
- Shipping organs and/or tissues
For detailed information on the Referral and Recovery Process, click here.
Current Tissue Research Needs
Follow the links below to learn more about tissue research needs and protocols: