Nebraska Cardiovascular Biobank and Registry

The mission of the Nebraska Cardiovascular Biobank & Registry is to promote human subjects cardiovascular research.

Human specimens and data are invaluable for basic, translational, and clinical research activities. The Nebraska Cardiovascular Biobank & Registry is a robust system that supplies valuable specimens and data for research in a manner that is easily accessible to a broad range of researchers. The system is critical to building our research portfolio and placing UNMC cardiovascular research in competitive positions for extramural funding.

Key Features

• The Nebraska Cardiovascular Biobank & Registry houses one of the largest and most valuable academic biobanks in the USA – built to enable cutting-edge research of human heart and vascular tissue and blood. Collection of porcine tissues also has begun.
• Specimens are suitable for a broad range of analyses, including proteomics, metabolomics, glycomics, genomics, transcriptomics, cell culture, and in vitro functional assays. We also bank PBMC for hiPSC generation.
• If the appropriate specimen for your studies is not already being routinely collected routinely, we can work with you to deploy a new collection scheme upon request.
• Need assistance preparing a new IRB to collect patient specimens or data? Connect with us and we can help you prepare the IRB application.

Examples of Specimens

• Routinely collected specimens include: serum, plasma, PBMC, heart tissue, vessels.
• Procedures we routinely collect tissue from:
  • heart transplant (donor & recipient);
  • mechanical circulatory support device implant
  • rapid autopsy (non-failing hearts)
• Routine storage formats: Flash frozen, cryopreserved, Allprotect, formalin fixed
• Anatomic regions we routinely collect: Apex, Atria - right and left, Aorta, Ventricle free wall - right and left, Interventricular septum, Pulmonary artery, Left anterior descending artery, Superior vena cava, Inferior vena cava
• Additional specimen types and collection formats are available upon request. Please complete the specimen inquiry form on our website to learn more about what is available or possible in the future.

Specimen Inventory

We have an established repository with the following specimen types and formats.

• Serum: Flash frozen
• Plasma: Flash frozen
• PBMC: Cryopreserved
• Tissue: Flash frozen, Cryopreserved, Allprotect, Formalin fixed

Procedures we routinely collect tissue samples from

• Heart transplant (Donor and Recipient)
• Mechanical circulatory device implant

Anatomical regions we routinely collect tissue samples from during transplant

• Apex
• Atria - right and left
• Aorta
• Ventricle free wall - right and left
• Interventricular septum
• Pulmonary artery
• Left anterior descending artery
• Superior vena cava
• Inferior vena cava

Additional specimen types and collection formats are available upon request. Please complete the specimen inquiry form to learn more about what is available or possible in the future.

How to Access Specimens and Data

We provide:

1. Archived human specimens upon request.
2. Infrastructure for streamlined consenting, specimen collection and archiving to enable collection of new specimens in a way that makes the process seamless for investigators.
3. On-demand biobanking of patient specimens that enable investigation of personalized approaches for cardiovascular disease.

Request Access

We support two models of biobanking

Approach 1: Investigator Initiated

Typically used for clinical trials or basic and translational research when specimens are plentiful.

1. Define a question
2. Obtain funding
3. Collect specimens
4. Acquire data
5. Publish

Approach 2: Prospective Collect

Basic & translational research when specimens are limited – what you have access to defines the questions you can ask - and takes a long time to build up a critical mass of samples.

1. Collect specimens
2. Define a question
3. Obtain funding
4. Acquire data
5. Publish