Overview
The Human Tissues and Organs Research Resource (HTORR) provides the biomedical research community with human tissues for research. It is a leading source of human tissues, cells, and organs for scientific research, and is comprised of a nationwide network of 130 tissue source sites over 45 states, including organ procurement organizations, tissue banks, and post-surgery and post-mortem donors. HTORR is supported by Office of Research Infrastructure Programs (ORIP) and other NIH institutes, including NIAMS. The National Disease Research Interchange (NDRI), a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, is the awarding organization for the HTORR Program (Grant number: U42 OD011158).
HTORR provides the following services:
- Access to a wide array of human biospecimens, from any body system, from both diseased and non-diseased donors, including from both surgical and post-mortem donors
- Customized procurement in a variety of preservation formats including fresh, frozen, and fixed tissues suitable for various analytical techniques
- Timely responses to requests and 24/7 distribution of biological specimens
- Letters of Support (LOS) as a human tissue provider and budgetary information for investigator grant applications
- On-site logistics capabilities and technical support to design studies utilizing human biospecimens
- HTORR dedicated website for investigator inquiries
Requesting Biospecimen Samples
To request biospecimens, investigators must complete a simple application process and, once approved, their requests are fulfilled when matching donor tissues become available. For information about how to set up a prospective tissue recovery or to request a LOS, please email the NDRI Scientific Services Department at [email protected]. As one of the NIH funding agencies supporting the HTORR Program, NIAMS-funded investigators will be prioritized over investigators from institutes that do not support the program.
Helpful Resource: ORIP Biomaterials Fact Sheet
HTORR Pilot Award Program
A new HTORR Pilot Award Program is being launched, with the first application submission period open June 1, 2024 - October 1, 2024. This award will cover all costs associated with obtaining up to ~10 human biospecimens to be used in a pilot study, including tissue preservation reagents and shipping costs, for an award period of up to 24 months.
The preliminary data generated through the completed Pilot Award study is expected to be used in at least one subsequent grant application by the end of the 2-year project period to one of HTORR’s co-funding NIH Institutes. One award per year is reserved for an investigator that plans to submit a grant application to NIAMS.
Visit the HTORR Pilot Award program webpage for more information on applicant eligibility.