Research Cores

BWH/Harvard Cohorts Biorepository

The BWH/Harvard Cohorts Biorepository Core manages over 3.8 million biological specimens collected from over 200,000 participants in several large, longitudinal, cohort studies. The Core prepares and ships over 60,000 biospecimens annually to collaborating laboratories for analyses evaluating the relationship between biomarkers and chronic disease risk.

These cohort studies include:
- Nurses’ Health Study (NHS)
- Nurses’ Health Study II (NHSII)
- Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS)
- Physician’s Health Study (PHS)
- Growing Up Today Studies (GUTS/GUTSII)

Biospecimens collected from each of these cohorts are being actively utilized in epidemiologic research studies of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes, among others. The biospecimens from these cohorts are richly enhanced by up to 30 years of health-related behaviors and medical histories, making them a unique and invaluable research resource.

Sample types stored in the biorepository include: plasma, white blood cells, red blood cells, whole blood, urine, DNA, toenails, hair, stool, saliva and tissue.

These samples are an extremely valuable, but finite, resource; thus much effort is put forth to ensure high quality, efficient specimen handling. The goal of the Biorepository is to maximize use of samples in a cost-effective, ethical, state-of-the-art manner.

Please refer to the web link down below for up-to-date information on collaboration and access.

Personnel/Contact Information:

Senior Research and Biobank Manager: Janine Neville-Golden
Email: Janine.Neville-Golden@channing.harvard.edu 

Research Manager - Tissue Group: Matthew Mahoney
Email: matt.mahoney@channing.harvard.edu

Facilities and Equipment:

Location of Core

Biospecimen Collection and Distribution:
Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Channing Division of Network Medicine
221 Longwood Ave Eugene Braunwald Research Center, 6th Floor
Boston, MA 02115

Tissue Collection and Distribution:
Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Channing Division of Network Medicine
181 Longwood Ave MCP, 3rd Floor
Boston, MA 02115

Location of Freezer Farms:
Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Channing Division of Network Medicine
181 Longwood Ave, and
Harvard School of Public Health
677 Huntington Ave

Major Equipment:

131 Liquid Nitrogen Freezers; 6 Mechanical -80C Freezers; Hamilton Bios -80C; Freezer, Scinomix Automated Labeler; Hamilton STAR Auto aliquoter

Extensive multi-temperature biorepository

Services:

Biospecimens: Provision of biospecimens (DNA, plasma, buffy coat, red blood cell, whole blood, hair, nails, saliva, semen, stool, and tissue) from the Channing BWH/Harvard Cohorts including: Nurses’ Health Study, Nurses’ Health Study II, Healthcare Professionals Follow-up Study, Physician’s Health Study I, and Growing Up Today Studies, for approved scientific research projects
Collections: Specialized collection management, including the development of approaches, materials and management for recruitment, shipping, receiving, processing and storage of population level biospecimens
Consultation: Biobanking consultation, including the provision of management and operational level expertise for biobank and biospecimen collection enterprises within the epidemiologic research community

Our rates can be found here:RATES

Getting Started:
For more information about our core, our biospecimen access policy, or our services please see our Core Web Link: BWH/Harvard Cohorts Biorepository at: http://cohortsbio.bwh.harvard.edu/ 

For Questions: Please contact Janine Neville-Golden at: cohorts.biorepository@channing.harvard.edu

Our Cohorts:
Nurses’ Health Study: 
http://www.channing.harvard.edu/nhs/

Health Professionals Follow-Up Study: 
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/hpfs/

Growing Up Today Study: 
http://www.guts2.org/

Physicians Health Study: 
http://phs.bwh.harvard.edu/

Part of the Channing Division of Network Medicine: http://brighamandwomens.org/research/depts/medicine/channing/default.aspx