The ATP would like to acknowledge the efforts of the following tissue procurement affiliates that have made a formal commitment to help the ATP in its mission to acquire brain tissue for autism research.  We would like to thank these affiliates for partnering with us to support the families that make the choice to benefit others through their gift of donation and insuring that their wishes are fulfilled.

The stewardship of this tissue donation is a humbling duty that is a collaboration of parents, the ATP and our tissue procurement affiliates.  The ATP and our tissue procurement affiliates hold this collaboration, the act of donation and the tissue in utmost regard.

If you are an accredited tissue bank, organ and tissue procurement agency, or medical examiner and would like to learn more about the ATP or to become a partner in this program’s mission, please email us at info@autismtissueprogram.org or speak with us directly at 1-877-333-0999.

Donor Acceptance Criteria may be found here.


Harvard Brain and Tissue Center Resource (HBTRC)

The Harvard Brain Tissue Resource Center has been established at McLean Hospital at Harvard University as a centralized resource for the collection and distribution of human brain specimens for brain research.  Research over the past decade has shown that the study of human brain tissue is essential to increasing our understanding of how the nervous system functions.  Most recently, postmortem human brain research has played a significant role in the development of a genetic test for Huntington's disease as well as a treatment for Parkinson's disease.  Similarly, neurochemical and anatomical studies focusing on the biological nature of severe mental illnesses are now emerging and bringing forth new hope for understanding the underlying brain mechanisms responsible for psychosis and other symptoms associated with these debilitating brain disorders.  In order to perform research into the neurological or psychiatric disorders, it is vital to collect normal control tissue as well.

Scientists from the nation's top research and medical centers request tissue from The Brain Bank for their investigations.  Since the majority of these studies can be carried out on a very small amount of tissue, each donated brain provides a large number of samples for many researchers.  However, in order to conduct valid experiments, it is necessary to supply researchers with a variety of brain specimens.

Visit us at http://www.brainbank.mclean.org

The Brain Bank for Autism & Related Developmental Research – United Kingdom

United Kingdom - The Brain Bank for Autism & Related Developmental Research, in partnership with Autism Speaks and the ATP, was established in 2008 as a program dedicated to high quality brain tissue acquisition, processing, stewardship, thorough supportive clinical data acquisition and distribution for research.  This endeavor is the first formal extension of the ATP outside of the US.  Both the UK and US programs are closely integrated and represent a coordinated effort in support of basic tissue based research in autism.  Autism Speaks UK, a sister charity of Autism Speaks, and supporter of this program, is the only charity in the UK raising funds for research in to the causes of autism.

The UK Brain Bank is based at Oxford University, where it forms part of the Thomas Willis Oxford Brain Collection.  All tissue collected within the UK is stored at their repository at Oxford, with all related tissue information and data being housed and integrated into the ATP Data Portal (see below) and prepared for distribution to scientists worldwide.  For more information on the UK Brain Bank, please call their free-hotline number at (44)0-800-089-0707.

Visit us at http://www.brainbankforautism.org.uk


Upstate New York Transplant Services

Headquartered in downtown Buffalo and established in 1981, Upstate New York Transplant Services is among the leading procurement organizations in the United States, and is one of only eight centers nationwide to house laboratory services, and organ, tissue and eye procurement in one location. With the addition of Community Blood Services, Upstate New York Transplant Services has become an exceptionally diverse facilitator of tissue procurement. Upstate New York Transplant Services operates as a non-profit serving the eight counties of Western New York and works to assist donor families, coordinate the donation process and increase knowledge and awareness within the community regarding transplantation.

Upstate New York Transplant Services has helped to secure rates of donation in Western New York that are higher than the national average. When approached following the death of a loved-one for organ donation, Western New York families give consent nearly 90% of the time – the national average is approximately 60%. Due to this generosity, Upstate New York Transplant Services has ranked in the top ten procurement organizations nationwide in terms of rates of consent for seven of the past eight years.

As recently as 1997, Upstate New York Transplant Services had just 200 donors; in 2007 the organization surpassed 1,000. In the summer of 2007, Upstate New York Transplant Services added community blood banking services – bringing both a significant savings to area hospitals and assurance to Western New York donors that their blood donations remain local.

The organization's network and success has been able to spread the message that transplantation is vital – and transplantation saves lives. Upstate New York Transplant Services is currently headed by Mark Simon, President & CEO and Dr. Brian McGrath, Chair of the Board of Directors Dr. Brian McGrath.

Visit us at www.unyts.org


Donor Services of Indiana

The Hospitals and Allied Professionals Section of the Donor Services of Indiana (DSI) is a not-for-profit organization based in Fort Wayne, Indiana and serves hospitals throughout the state.

DSI provides human allograft tissues and services to save and enhance patients' lives. DSI provides procurement and distribution of quality tissue grafts serving donor families, physicians, hospitals and our community partners.  In addition, DSI partners with several processors to assure the availability of quality tissues.  Strict recovery procedures are used to ensure quality and safe tissue grafts for transplantation.  In processor's Medical Director reviews all donor information, and if found acceptable the tissue is released for transplantation or research purposes.  DSI supports emergency requests both
nationally and internationally.

DSI provides tissues back to the community from which they came and is equipped to deliver needed tissues on an urgent basis for medical emergencies, surgeries and procedures.  Extensive tests for infectious diseases such as AIDS, Hepatitis B&C and syphilis are performed on all donors acquired by DSI.  Each donor is thoroughly evaluated using medical/social history questions, medical records, blood tests, physical examinations and autopsy reports (when performed).  DSI's quality assurance department reviews all donor information to ensure safety.

Visit us at www.dsitissuebank.org/index.html