Clinical Trials / Research Studies
Discover Together Biobank

Help Improve Medical Care by Taking Part in Medical Research

Cincinnati Children’s offers an exciting opportunity for patients and families who want to help others.

Through the Discover Together Biobank (also known as the DT Biobank), you can help our researchers find better ways to treat medical conditions that impact many lives.

Enrollment is voluntary, and it’s easy. You can give your consent to participate by registering yourself or your child through our online enrollment process.

What is Biobank Research, and How Does it Make a Difference?

Cincinnati Children’s is home to many researchers. They investigate the factors that keep people healthy and they study specific diseases, in order to find better ways to treat them.

When conducting studies, our researchers often use “biospecimens” (biological samples such as blood, saliva, urine or tissue). We collect samples from as many volunteers as possible and store them in a specialized, secure facility called a biobank. Our goal is to have plenty of samples available when our researchers need them.

These samples are important because they contain information about human health and disease. For example, our researchers could analyze blood samples from people who have the same medical condition —then compare them to blood samples from healthy people—in order to:

Find “biomarkers,” or proteins and molecules that indicate whether someone may have a medical condition. By pinpointing biomarkers associated with specific diseases, we could create new or better diagnostic tests.
Identify DNA changes that may cause specific medical conditions. This could help us develop medicines that counteract those changes, and slow or reverse disease progression.
Learn why some people stay healthy and others develop health problems, despite having similar risk factors. This could help us find ways to prevent diseases from occurring.

The samples you provide the DT Biobank today may pave the way for future scientific discoveries—and future medical treatments. Although it takes time, research findings often lead to new (and better) treatment guidelines. When physicians around the country adopt these guidelines, their patients can take comfort in knowing they’re receiving the latest, evidence-based care.

Enroll in the Discover Together Biobank Today!

Sign Up Now!

Who Can Participate in Biobank Research at Cincinnati Children's?

Anyone can donate biological samples to the DT Biobank. We routinely enroll:

Cincinnati Children’s patients of all ages
Patient family members, including children and adults
Individuals who live in the Greater Cincinnati area and, in some cases, beyond

Even if you don’t receive medical care from Cincinnati Children’s, enrolling in the DT Biobank is a great way to support patient and community health.

Remember, enrollment is voluntary. We understand that some patients and families can’t (or don’t want to) participate in research. Your decision will not affect the medical care you or your child receives.

If you want to enroll in the biobank, you’ll need to provide permission, known as informed consent. You’ll learn more about informed consent during the biobank enrollment process. You can also download our consent form separately, watch this short video and explore other resources available through the Cincinnati Children’s Research Foundation.

Shared Facilities Research photos, Lori Miller.

Discover Together Biobank Information for Researchers and Potential Collaborators

We enable world-class research through the availability of biospecimens, associated data and services to meet the needs of all Cincinnati Children’s researchers and their collaborators.

Research with Leftover Tissue

Clinical Trials / Research StudiesDiscover Together Biobank