An official website of the United States government
About the NIH NeuroBioBank
Overview
The NIH-funded NeuroBioBank (NBB) was established in September 2013 as a national resource for investigators utilizing human post-mortem brain tissue and related biospecimens for their research to understand conditions of the nervous system.
With specimens that span neurological, neuropsychiatric, and neurodevelopmental diseases and disorders, the NBB serves as a central point of access to the world-class collections of our six biorepositories. In addition, the NBB provides researchers with a wealth of resources to facilitate their research, including medical records and clinical data sets (when available) as well as access to quality metrics and best practices used by each site.
Our sites adhere to the highest ethical standards when acquiring specimens for their collections, and protection of donor identity is assured. All brain tissue is procured, stored, and distributed according to applicable state and federal guidelines and regulations involving consent, protection of human subjects and donor anonymity.
Our Goals
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1
To increase the availability of human disease and control brains and related biospecimens by increasing public awareness of the value of tissue donation for understanding brain disorders.
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2
To facilitate the distribution of high-quality, well-characterized human post-mortem brain tissue for the research community.
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3
To make available to the research community, a centralized resource of best practices and protocols used by our networked sites in the acquisition, preparation, and distribution of tissue.
Our Brain Bank Network
University of Miami
Brain Endowment Bank
The Human Brain and Spinal
Fluid Resource Center
University of Maryland
Brain and Tissue Bank
Mt. Sinai
Brain Bank
Harvard Brain Tissue
Resource Center
Brain Tissue Donation Program
at the University of Pittsburgh
Our Partners
The Brain Donor Project
The Brain Donor Project is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that aims to increase the supply of human post-mortem brains donated for scientific research.
Autism BrainNet
NIH NeuroBioBank and Autism BrainNet are working collaboratively to collect and distribute donated post-mortem tissue for Autism Spectrum Disorder research.
The National Disease Interchange (NDRI)
A not-for-profit organization, NDRI empowers mental health and neurological research and discovery through the procurement and distribution of human biospecimens worldwide.
Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers (ADRCS)
NIH NeuroBioBank and Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers (ADRCs) are working collaboratively to collect and distribute donated post-mortem tissue for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias research.
Our Affiliates
The Maryland Brain Collection (MBC)
The Maryland Brain Collection (MBC), a resource of the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, is dedicated to promoting research with brain tissue obtained post-mortem from individuals with schizophrenia or related disorders.
Human Brain Collection Core (HBCC)
The mission of Human Brain Collection Core (HBCC) within the National Institute of Mental Health, Division of Intramural Programs (NIMH IRP) is to conduct and support research on brain and behavior, with the goal of reducing the burden of mental illness. We obtain human brain tissue, hair and blood samples from deceased individuals diagnosed with major mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder, substance abuse, and their consequences (suicide) as well as from individuals without history of mental illness (used as controls).
Contact the University of Miami Brain Endowment Bank
Dr. Xiaoyan Sun
1951 N.W. 7th Ave., Ste. 240
Miami, FL 33136
1-800-UM-BRAIN (862-7246)
24-hour on call coverage
Contact the University of Maryland Brain and Tissue Bank
Dr. Thomas Blanchard
University of Maryland School of Medicine
Department of Pediatrics
655 W. Baltimore Street, 13-013 BRB
Baltimore, MD 21201-1559
1-800-847-1539
24-hour on call coverage
Contact the Harvard Brain Tissue Resource Center
Dr. Sabina Beretta
McLean Hospital
Mailstop 138
115 Mill Street
Belmont, MA 02478
1-800-BRAIN-BANK (272-4622)
24-hour on call coverage
Contact the Human Brain and Spinal Fluid Resource Center
Dr. Rashed Nagra
11301 Wilshire Blvd. (127A)
Building 212 Room 16
Los Angeles, CA 90073
(310) 268-3536
Coordinator available 8am-4pm Pacific Time
(310) 268-3330
24-hour on call coverage
Contact the Mt. Sinai Brain Bank
Dr. V. Harry Haroutunian
James J Peters VA Medical Center
130 West Kingsbridge Road Room 4F-33A
Bronx, NY 10468
(718) 584-9000 x6083
(212) 807-5541
24-hour on call coverage
Contact the Brain Tissue Donation Program at the University of Pittsburgh
Dr. David Lewis
Biomedical Science Tower W1654
3811 O'Hara Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15213-2582
For brain donation related inquiries, please contact the Brain Donor Project at (513) 393-7878, email tish@braindonorproject.org, or click the link below.
Coverage Map: University of Miami Brain Endowment Bank
The University of Miami Brain Endowment Bank's collection network includes all states except the following: Alaska, Hawaii, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming.
Coverage Map: University of Maryland Brain and Tissue Bank
The University of Maryland Brain and Tissue Bank's coverage network includes all states except for Hawaii.
Coverage Map: Harvard Brain Tissue Resource Center
The Harvard Brain and Tissue Resource Center's collection network includes all states except Hawaii.
Coverage Map: The Human Brain and Spinal Fluid Resource Center
The Human Brain and Spinal Fluid Resource Center's collection network includes all states except the following: Connecticut, Kansas, Kentucky, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, Utah, and Virginia.
Coverage Map: Mt. Sinai Brain Bank
The Mt. Sinai Brain Bank's collection network includes Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York.
Coverage Map: Brain Tissue Donation Program at the University of Pittsburgh
The Brain Tissue Donation Program at the University of Pittsburgh's collection network includes Allegheny County in Pittsburgh, PA.