Database of tissues
Tissue from over 7,000 brains, from all of the ten UK brain banks are now available from one central database, thanks to a unique collaboration between the Medical Research Council and 5 leading charities through the UK Brain Banks Network. For the first time, searchable data including the pathological diagnosis on the entire collection of tissues is available to researchers working in academia or industry.
FAQs
How do I find out what type of tissue is available from each of the brain banks?
The MRC UK Brain Banks Network has an online database that carries details of all the tissue samples available throughout the Network. Researchers are required to register with the database and to obtain a User login in order to search for tissue samples.
How do I login to the Brain Banks Network database to access tissue samples?
All potential users of the database must register to use the system by completing a registration request form using the database’s web interface. They will be asked to provide their email address (used to create a username if registration is approved), reason for application, information on their place of work and the email address of their workplace ‘systems administrator’, line manager or Head of Department. This assists the Network’s registration Approval Group in determining the suitability of the applicant to access the database.
The submitted registration request is circulated to the Approval Group and, if successful, a new account is created and username and password details are emailed to the applicant. The applicant can then log in and access the searchable database.
Once I’m logged in, how do I search for tissue samples?
The database also allows users to search for cases/tissue using a number of search criteria. A user can search for cases based on disease/diagnosis/cause of death, find control cases, age range, gender, brain pH range, post-mortem delay and the type of tissue (CNS, muscle, fixed, frozen, etc.). Users can also browse through all the cases that have been submitted to the database by individual brain banks if they wish to access tissue from a particular bank..
Can I save the results of my searches?
The “My Collection” button acts in a similar manner to an online shopping cart where users can save cases of interest to their collection
How do I contact a brain bank in order to acquire tissue they possess for my research?
Users can contact custodian brain banks about any of their cases stored in the database. This can be done on a case-by-case basis, or a user can contact all the brain banks containing the cases stored in a user’s “My collection” saved search. When a user contacts a brain bank through the network database, an email is sent to the bank’s brain bank manager. The email contains the user’s contact details, their message and details of the cases in the user’s collection that are owned/held by that brain bank. The brain banks manager can then reply to any questions asked, and help with the process of application for tissue samples.
Can I see what brain banks I have previously been in contact with and what messages I have sent to them?
Yes. All messages sent to brain banks by a user are recorded by the system. This allows users to keep track of what cases/tissue they have requested and the brain banks they contacted.
How do I obtain more details about the samples available on the database?
Contact the brain banks holding the tissue samples in which you are interested by using the “My Collection” of cases through the Network Database via email (see 5 above).
Do I need to have ethics approval for my project before I can apply for tissue samples from a brain bank?
No - all the brain banks in the MRC Network have ethics approval as research tissue banks, which means that they can provide tissue samples to researchers without the need for the researchers to first obtain their own ethics approval.
How can I give feedback about the database and its usefulness?
You can email feedback to brainbank.admin@ed.ac.uk.