As the national leader providing human tissues and organs to NIH-funded and university-based investigators, NDRI has developed systems to distribute more than 20,000 biomaterials, tissues, and organs annually to 400 to 500 researchers. Researchers continue to recognize NDRI as an invaluable partner as the need for human biomaterials grows. In response, NDRI has developed specialized programs targeted to increase the supply of human tissues and organs for specific areas of research with the highest demand for more resources. NDRI has established a network of human tissue collection sites throughout the country. NDRI’s three divisions are described below.
Human Tissues and Organs for Research (HTOR)
HTOR began in 1987 with funding from the National Institutes of Health, with core support from the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR). Over the years, additional support has been added from the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the National Eye Institute, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases,the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute and the Office of Rare Disease.
HTOR focuses on supplying scientists with tissues and organs from autopsies and surgical procedures as well as tissue specimens donated through eye and tissue banks. 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, eyes, as well as bones and joints for biomechanical and orthopedic studies. Specialized programs include the HIV Program and the Rare Disease Initiative.
Human Biological Data Interchange (HBDI)
HBDI represents the prototype collection of families for use in epidemiologic and genetic studies. This resource is a paradigm for selection and recruitment, blood collection, DNA isolation and immortalization of cell lines from families with type I diabetes for use in genetic research. The HBDI information center contains family and medical history information from more than 82,000 individuals in 6,700 families. Additionally, the HBDI repository holds sera, beta-lymphoblastoid cell lines and DNA from over 500 families with type 1 diabetes. Researchers may request a catalog of pedigrees detailing these families, from which DNA and immortalized cell lines are available, as well as anonymized information on family and medical histories.
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Odyssey Special Initiatives Division
Develops strategies to meet new and emerging needs for human biomaterials in research. Examples include networks to increase the supply of islet cells for diabetes research, cancer tissue arrays for research, collection of malignant tumors and normal adjacent tissues for cancer research and the provision of bone marrow and cord blood and cellular derivatives for stem cell research. Odyssey Special Initiatives Division is the home of NDRI’s Partners Program. This program offers the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries an opportunity to utilize NDRI’s specialized biomaterials for research and development, including toxicology and preclinical evaluation of potential new therapies.
Click here for more information about our Partners Program.