The Birth Defects Research Laboratory, funded by the NIH for 42 years, is the major national resource for collection and distribution of human conceptual tissue to grant-funded investigators at universities and nonprofit institutions nationwide. The Research Laboratory has collected more than 19,000 specimens to date, and its importance is highlighted by the fact that distribution continues to increase, with 330 investigators supplied during the past five years, compared with 171 in the prior funding cycle. Research employing tissues provided during this period resulted in nearly 500 reported publications, compared with 120 in the prior funding cycle. Recent progress in stem cell biology, developmental genomics, translational research, and other active areas in biomedical research have made the investigators' ability to reliably provide conceptual tissue in a scientifically controlled and IRB approved manner more valuable than ever. ? ? Changes in termination practice, including newer medical, non-surgical procedures, and the use of agents to ensure delivery of nonviable specimens, have created new obstacles to obtaining sufficient amounts of high quality tissue required for research. To overcome these problems and meet increasing demand, the Laboratory has developed new relationships with both local and distant clinics. Additionally, the efficiency and expertise of the experienced staff enables the Laboratory to maximize the samples retrieved from each specimen. ? ? ?
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