The Penn State Neuroscience Institute Biorepository at the College of Medicine, Milton S. Hershey Medical Center is an integrated specimen (tissue, blood, spinal fluid and buccal swab) bank and clinical database. The purpose is to facilitate basic science, clinical research and translational studies by providing researchers with the ability to obtain and study human specimens using a dynamic collection, storage, annotation, and distribution service. Relevant associated demographic, clinical and outcome data are stored in a REDCapTM database. Four distinct types of biological samples are collected on diverse patient populations under neurosurgery, neuro-oncology, and neurology care: tissue (brain tumors, epilepsy brain tissue, peripheral nerve tumors, spine tumors, vascular tissue, plaque, etc.), cerebral spinal fluid (CSF), blood (whole, plasma, serum, buffy coat) and buccal swab samples. Learn more about the biorespository here.
Biorepository specimens are available for use by investigators through a specific protocol approval process. Samples and data are released in a de-identified manner. The Biorepository is staffed by a Biorepository specialist and a data manager.
If you would like to request more information or request samples for distribution, please submit this form
Please use the following language to credit the PSNI Biorepository in publications or presentations:
“We would like to acknowledge The Penn State Neuroscience Institute Biorepository for providing the biospecimens used in this study. The Biorepository, supported by the Penn State Hershey Neuroscience Institute at Hershey, facilitated the collection, storage, and distribution of human biological samples and associated data, which were critical to the success of this research.”