Newcastle Brain Tissue Resource

 

Newcastle Brain Tissue Resource

Welcome to the Newcastle Brain Tissue Resource  
 
Here you can find information about NBTR and links to  related areas including information for those interested in becoming potential donors.  Researchers can request tissue by contacting us for an application form.

Contact Details:  

Newcastle Brain Tissue Resource, Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Campus for Ageing and Vitality, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE4 5PL


E-mail: mailto:nbtr@ncl.ac.uk 
     0191 208 1231 (24 hour donation line 0191 208 1345)

Information for Donors


Newcastle Brain Tissue Resource video

Downloadable documents for researchers
NB The tissue application form is available here as a pdf for reference.  A word version with more functionality is available from the NBTR Manager for electronic use. 

Brain Map Part 1


NBTR Tissue application form v 2 
Tissue request Information Sheet
Example Material Transfer Agreement
Access Policy

Downloadable documents for other professionals

NBTR Information for Funeral Directors v2.pdf

NBTR Information for GPs


General information   
 
Newcastle Brain Tissue Resource (formerly Newcastle Brain Bank) was established over 30 years ago and has supported major advances in the understanding of dementia and neurodegenerative disease and identifying therapeutic targets. Current cholinergic therapy for dementia was based in part on studies carried out on tissue from NBTR. It currently receives funding from the MRC and the NIHR funded Biomedical Centre on Ageing. NBTR works in co-operation with other brain banks in the UK and is part of the Brains for Dementia Research network funded by the Alzheimer’s Society and the Alzheimer Research UK. NBTR operates under a Human Tissue Authority licence and has full ethical approval as a research tissue bank. All tissue is collected with informed consent.
The Application Process
Normally access is granted to those scientists who can show a direct requirement for tissue for research purposes. Scientific research projects should ideally have  independent peer review, although the NBTR recognises that sometimes this is not always possible, such as for small pilot projects which aim to obtain proof of principle data for gaining future funding. Ethical approval is generally requested, although the NBTR can extend ethical approval to  projects within the UK as part of its remit as an HTA and Local Research Ethics Committee approved Tissue Bank. Evidence of  funding 
sufficient to complete the study is required to ensure that applicants have the resources necessary to complete the study. Wherever possible the NBTR  does recover some of the costs associated with preparing tissue samples.  Cost recovery is now standardised across the UK brain banks and details can be found at  https://brainbanknetwork.ac.uk/Wiki/44/tissue-tariffs.  The NBTR also requests that it is acknowledged, along with its funders, in any publication that arises from work involving NBTR tissue.
Applications for tissue are reviewed by a Committee with an independent Chair and lay representation. This ensures widespread and appropriate use of the tissue.  The Committee will provide comments and feedback on applications.  Normally a decision can be made within 2-3 weeks of receipt of an application although under some circumstances this may take a little longer. Tissue can be sent to  applicants once all  approvals have been obtained and tissue is prepared. This can take several weeks depending on the size and complexity of the tissue request.  A Material Transfer Agreement will be drawn up between Newcastle University and the recipient's institution. Local researchers will be asked to  sign a Local User Agreement.
If you have any questions or to obtain an application form, please contact the NBTR Manager, Debbie Lett
( d.j.lett@ncl.ac.uk  ) 

      

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                              

News

NBTR represented at worlds biggest Alzheimer's Disease conference

Debbie Lett (Manager of the Newcastle Brain Tissue Resource and BDR Deputy Director) and Nicky Barnett (Manager at the BDR Coordinating Centre) recently travelled to Philadelphia to represent Brains for Dementia Research ( BDR) at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference ( AAIC). AAIC is the biggest meeting of dementia researchers from across the globe with more than 15 000 attendees. We spoke with many researchers who are all immensely grateful for the generosity of donors who enable this research to take place. We are hoping to raise awareness of the Brains for Dementia cohort which can provide both serial data collection in life and standardised neuropathology, together with stem cells and in-vivo blood samples. This is a fantastic resource for dementia researchers. Newcastle is both the coordinating centre of this network and one of the regional centres.