BANKING GENETIC SAMPLES FROM NIA-FUNDED STUDIES THROUGH THE NIA AGED CELL BANK

RELEASE DATE:  January 15, 2004

NOTICE:  NOT-AG-04-002

National Institute on Aging (NIA)
 (http://www.nia.nih.gov/)

The National Institute on Aging (NIA) offers investigators assistance with 
archiving and sharing cell lines from genetic studies funded through the NIA.  
Many epidemiological and clinical studies include collection of blood samples 
and generation of transformed lymphoblastoid cell lines as a renewable source 
of DNA.  These collections of genetic samples from population-based studies 
and case-control studies are valuable resources and it is in the best 
interests of all – the NIH, the research community, and the taxpayers who 
fund the research and benefit from the results – for maximum use to be made 
of these resources.  The NIH sharing policy urges that unique resources 
developed from NIH-funded research be made available to the research 
community (Sharing Biomedical Research Resources, 
http://ott.od.nih.gov/NewPages/64FR72090.pdf ).  

Disseminating large numbers of cell lines could be burdensome to 
investigators, so the NIA will assist sharing of cell lines through the NIA 
contract-supported Aged Cell Bank.  The following services are available to 
NIA grantees through the contractor for the NIA Aged Cell Bank, Coriell 
Institute for Medical Research:
o Preparation of transformed cell lines from blood samples and all related 
quality control
o Preparation of DNA for use by the study investigators
o Expansion and cryopreservation of the cell lines
o Preparation of DNA for archiving and sharing
o Sharing of cell lines and DNA by inclusion in the Aged Cell Bank catalog

NIA grantees can opt to use the Aged Cell Bank for generation and banking of 
cell lines or for banking of cell lines produced in their labs.  The first 
four bullets above must be funded through the grant budget; the fifth bullet 
is covered by the NIA contract for the Aged Cell Bank.   For development of 
grant budgets, information on the costs associated with each of these 
services is available from the NIA and should be requested well in advance of 
the application deadline.  

Requests for information should be made to:
Nancy L. Nadon, Ph.D.
Head, Office of Biological Resources and Resource Development
National Institute on Aging
nadonn@nia.nih.gov
301-402-7744

The NIA has instituted an explicit sharing policy specific to the area of 
human Alzheimer’s Disease genetics that applies to all NIA-funded research in 
the area of Alzheimer’s Disease genetics regardless of cost.  The relevant 
documents can be accessed at http://www.nia.nih.gov/ResearchInformation/
FundingAndTraining/Policies/SharingResources.htm and http://www.nia.nih.gov/NR/
rdonlyres/380C4ADE-581B-4700-A869-03DF0A79AAD6/3072/geneticsguidance.doc

For further information, please contact:  
Marilyn M. Miller, Ph.D.
Program Director, Etiology of Alzheimer's Disease - Genetics
National Institute on Aging
MillerM@nia.nih.gov 
301-496-9350

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