This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. Primary support for the subproject and the subproject's principal investigator may have been provided by other sources, including other NIH sources. The Total Cost listed for the subproject likely represents the estimated amount of Center infrastructure utilized by the subproject, not direct funding provided by the NCRR grant to the subproject or subproject staff. DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The Human Tissues and Organs for Research (HTOR) program of the NDRI is dedicated solely to accessing and providing human tissues for research purposes. These tissues and organs are essential for the great majority of research projects served by HTOR and the program is clearly relevant to advancing human health. HTOR's long-term objective is to increase the quantity, diversity, and quality of human research tissues available for research. The collection, preparation, and preservation of the tissues must be performed according to researcher-specified protocols for the materials to be useful to scientists. The acquisition of these materials requires an extensive national network of acquisition sites such as hospital pathology and surgical services, eye and tissue banks, and Organ Procurement Organizations. HTOR's unique systems ensure that tissues procured for customized protocols are delivered in a timely manner to the appropriate research destinations. The quantity, quality and diversity of tissues shipped to investigators is a function of three critical variables: the number and types of sources working with HTOR, the internal systems of HTOR, and the number and types of research requests that HTOR receives from researchers.
The specific aims of the proposed funding period focus on strengthening these three arms of the HTOR program (sources, information systems, and researchers). HTOR will work to increase the capabilities of existing sources and add new sources to increase tissue quantity and diversity (Specific Aim 1/Sources);upgrade HTOR's internal systems (computer hardware, software, and data management) to improve data capture and analysis, and upgrade the HTOR Web Site to increase Source and Researcher access to HTOR resources (Specific Aim 2/Systems);and work closely with the research community to fulfill existing and emerging needs for human research tissue (Specific Aim 3/Researchers). In addition, HTOR will continue a specialized program for procuring and distributing HIV positive tissues (Specific Aim 4), a goal that is also consistent with HTOR's long-term objective.
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