Patient Advocacy Groups

“NDRI is a critical partner for tissue collection, storage, and distribution in support of LAM research. With NDRI’s expertise, resources, and collaborative efforts, LAM scientists access irreplaceable fresh and fixed tissue samples to advance understanding of LAM Disease.”

- Susan E. Sherman, MHA, Chief Executive Officer, The LAM Foundation

Patient Advocacy groups working with NDRI provide a unique and powerful opportunity to their patient population, by allowing them to be directly involved in the science that leads to the discovery of drug therapies and answers questions of the disease mechanism. Playing an integral role in the patient’s participation in these donations can make a difference in a Patient Advocacy Group's involvement in the advancement and the discovery of finding the cause and one day a treatment or cure. 

For nearly 40 years, NDRI has facilitated research and discovery through the donation of normal and diseased tissue. Patients can contribute to science by providing a “living” donation, (blood sample, urine, explanted tissue or other) or through registering to make a post-mortem gift, to leave a legacy and continue to help further scientific discoveries.

Pharmaceutical companies and researchers are increasingly working with Patient Advocacy Groups to obtain data sets, registry information, and support for drug development and identifying causes of disease. Using human tissue during drug development can help pharmaceutical companies:

• Identify and validate drug targets
• Identify drug mechanisms
• Develop screening tests for biomarkers associated with certain subtypes of disease
• Group patient based on their genetic characteristics and likelihood of positive response for testing of new drugs
• Group patients based on the "biomarkers" of their disease to determine which treatment is appropriate
   

NDRI's infrastructure and internal expertise in working with researchers to develop viable research protocols lead to better results. Our industry best practices in procurement, preservation, storage, and shipment of human tissues, ensure the highest quality, consistency, and reproducibility.

Whether you are an advocacy group with existing relationships to pharma and researchers, or just getting your research program up and running, NDRI can help you achieve your research goals through our many services.

Patient Advocacy Groups and Foundations we have collaborated with include: 

• Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
   
• LAM Foundation
   
• Lyme Disease Biobank

To learn more, contact us at Strategic Initiatives:
Email partnering@ndriresource.org or call 800-222-NDRI (6374), ext. 289