National Disease Research Interchange


The National Disease Research Interchange , based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is the nation's leading source of human tissues, cells and organs for scientific research. A not-for-profit 501 organization founded in 1980, NDRI is funded in part by the National Institutes of Health, public and private foundations and organizations, pharmaceutical and biotechnology corporations. NDRI is a 24/7 operation that partners with a nationwide network of over 130 tissue source sites, including organ procurement organizations, tissue banks, eye banks, and hospitals. The TSS, are distributed throughout the US, in 45 states, with concentrations in major metropolitan areas on both the east and west coasts. Their wide geographic distribution allows NDRI to provide biospecimens from donor populations with diverse demographics and also facilitates the timely and efficient provision of fresh tissues directly to researchers across the country. By serving as the liaison between procurement sources and the research community, NDRI is uniquely positioned to support breakthrough advances and discoveries that can affect advances in the treatment and cure of human diseases.

Funding

The National Institutes of Health have provided grants to NDRI since 1984. Current support for NDRI comes from several institutes within the NIH, including funding from the National Center for Research Resources, the National Eye Institute, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, and the Office of Rare Diseases Research. Additional support comes from voluntary health organizations and from corporate and individual donors.