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How Our Biobank Samples Help Fuel Medical Research

Here at Cincinnati Children’s, research is an important aspect of patient care. Every time our researchers discover something new about an illness, or find a better way to diagnose or treat it, they share their findings with our physicians. This means our doctors and other providers have access to the latest scientific evidence, and are often among the first in the country to offer new tests and treatments.

But none of these advancements are possible without research participants. By enrolling in the Discover Together (DT) Biobank—and giving biological samples such as blood or saliva—you can help our researchers discover the next breakthrough treatment or cure. 

Your Samples in Action

Here are just a few of the ways we’ve used biobank samples in our research.

Studies Conducted at Cincinnati Children’s

Our biobank volunteers played a crucial role in several recent studies conducted at Cincinnati Children’s. Some examples of recent collaborations include research related to:

  • Anaphylaxis (life-threatening allergic reactions). One of our physician-scientists is analyzing blood plasma and blood serum samples from children who needed emergency care for anaphylaxis. He and his team are working to identify biomarkers (signs) of anaphylaxis at the molecular level, so it can be identified and treated quickly in an emergency room setting.
  • Circadian rhythm (the body’s internal clock). We’ve been studying how an individual’s circadian rhythm affects different aspects of their health and life. This includes their sleep schedule and their body’s ability to break down medications at certain times of day. So far, our efforts have led to novel treatments for circadian sleep disorders in pediatric populations. They’re also paving the way for clinicians to tailor commonly used drugs so they’re more effective. Read more about this in a New York Times article.
  • Sharing genetic test results with younger patients. We’re studying whether teens and young adults who have genetic testing are interested in knowing the results. Specifically, we aim to understand whether younger patients want to be part of the decision-making process when given the choice to receive genetic test results. And we want to compare how teens and young adults choose to learn about their risk of developing a future genetic condition (or passing it on to their children). Read the article on PubMed.
  • The genetic factors that shape newborn and maternal health. Some of our researchers are part of an international network called the Multi-Omics for Mothers and Infants (MOMI) Consortium. Funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the MOMI Consortium aims to improve maternal, fetal, newborn and child health in low- and middle-income countries. Its members are working to identify genetic markers that may predict adverse outcomes such as preeclampsia and preterm birth. Here at Cincinnati Children’s, we’re contributing to this effort by collecting (and analyzing) more than 25,000 maternal and fetal DNA samples.

Collaborations with Other Organizations

To help expand the impact our research can make, we also partner with other local and national organizations. These include:

Every Child Succeeds

This organization supports expectant parents, new parents and young children in Southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky. Families who join the program receive regular home visits from experts who teach positive parenting and healthy child development strategies. Many of these families have enrolled in the DT Biobank, allowing our researchers to learn more about the factors that influence mental, social, emotional and behavioral development.

Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE)

This nonprofit organization works to improve the health and quality of life for people with food allergies. They teamed up with Cincinnati Children’s to create the FARE Clinical Network Biobank and Biomarker Discovery Center. This biobank stores samples from volunteers with food allergies, allowing researchers to conduct studies on food allergy biomarkers. Together, we’re working to better understand how food allergies develop and how best to treat them.

Genetic Information Commons (GIC)

The GIC is a national network of researchers from leading medical institutions, including Cincinnati Children’s, Boston Children’s, Harvard Medical School and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. We each share (and study) data from our individual biobanks, creating a much larger pool of information about genetics, heath and disease. This helps speed up the process through which scientific discoveries move out of the lab and into the hands of physicians.

Down Syndrome Achieves (DSA)

This Ohio-based research organization aims to improve the health and wellbeing of people with Down syndrome, especially by preventing or treating health complications that are common among those with this condition. In collaboration with Cincinnati Children’s, they created the DSA Biobank—the first biobank of its kind to catalog, store and openly share biological samples donated by people with Down syndrome and their family members.
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