The CReATe Consortium and NIH NeuroBioBank have established an exciting collaboration. This is a unique opportunity to cover the costs of post-mortem brain and spinal cord tissue collection from participants involved in CReATe studies.

One of the many challenges researchers face in their war against ALS is that it is difficult to study the nerves most affected by ALS during life. The gift of tissue donation empowers ALS research. It enables scientists to directly examine the brain and spinal cord for clues that will help advance treatments for this devastating disease.

The donation of brain and spinal cord tissue for ALS research is the most generous gift you can make.  It will help future generations in the quest to find answers and improve our understanding of ALS, allowing researchers and scientists to find better medications, treatments and ultimately a cure. 

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) NeuroBioBank, has six designated biorepositories in the country one of which is the University of Miami (UM) Brain Endowment Bank. NeuroBioBank supports medical and scientific researchers who study the human brain in health and disease. NeuroBioBank advances America’s engine of discovery by distributing tissues to qualified researchers and investigators across the nation for more information visit the NIH NeuroBioBank at http://www.neurobiobank.nih.gov.

Donating tissue for ALS medical research is an important and deeply personal decision. It can be very satisfying knowing that you played a vital role in advancing ALS research and that your gift can make the difference and lead to the next scientific breakthrough. Proper planning can help ensure that wishes are accounted for and honored at the time of your or a loved one’s passing.

For more information about donating to NeuroBioBank, visit the University of Miami’s Brain Endowment Bank at www.brainbank.med.miami.edu or call us at (305) 243-6219 or 1-800-UM-BRAIN.

• Brain donation must be performed within 12 – 24 hours from the time of death in order to maximize the research value.
• Tissue donation will not delay funeral, cremation or burial plans and will not interfere with open casket viewing or traditional funeral services. Funeral expenses remain the responsibility of
  the family.
• The Brain Endowment Bank will pay for the one-way transportation of the deceased donor, from the location of passing to the designated pathologist, as well as the cost associated with brain/spinal cord removal and shipment
  to our facility.

Download a copy of the brochure