Key points
This publication describes history and operating procedures of the National ALS Biorepository.
Affiliates
Marianna J. Bledsoe [1], Lindsay Rechtman [2], Laurie Wagner [2], Paul Mehta [3], D. Kevin Horton[3], and Wendy E. Kaye [2]
- Independent Consultant
- McKing Consulting Corportation
- Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Summary
It is important to the effectiveness of any biorepository to understand the most current sample needs of researchers. Input from an expert panel, discussions with ALS research experts, and a review of the literature were used to assess sample needs. Of all biospecimen types reported in the literature, the most frequently used were DNA, postmortem spinal cord, blood, and cerebrospinal fluid; while the frequently reported types of biospecimens used in ALS-related grants were induced pluripotent stem cells, brain, blood, and spinal cord.