Current Research Tissues Needed
Nervous System
Nervous system tissues encompass brain, spinal cord, ganglia or nerves. Researchers use these tissues to explore better ways to diagnose or treat such disorders as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease, cancer, stroke, epilepsy, and several psychological disorders. Investigators are currently using donated nervous system tissue to:
- Explore the biochemical and structural abnormalities that underlie various brain disorders;
- Develop therapeutic tumor vaccines, and;
- Determine the molecular changes that enable speech and various thinking processes, including those that may play a role in autism.
NDRI will place the following musculoskeletal tissues with researchers:
Whole brains or sections of the brain: adult donors of any age, including those that had diabetes, Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, or stroke. Researchers need at least 10 grams of brain tissue which should be shipped fresh, snap frozen or fixed.
Spinal cords: donors of any age. Researchers require a minimum of 5 grams of such tissue, which can be shipped fresh, frozen, or snap frozen.
NDRI usually cannot accept tissue from a donor that has an infectious disease, such as hepatitis.