Virtual event
Feb 9, 2021 02:00 PM
Feb 10, 2021 02:00 PM
Feb 11, 2021 02:00 PM
The NIH is looking for input on best practices and recommendations to ensure a dependable supply of high quality human brain tissue for the upcoming ramp-up of the NIH BRAIN initiative’s cell census and atlas-ing effort of the human brain.
The virtual event sponsored by the NIH BRAIN Initiative and the NIH Blueprint will include three half-day sessions on February 9-11, 2021 and will focus on:
- Tissue Quality and Processing;
- Open consent and prospective tissue collection; and
- A series of break-out session for generating ideas for NIH consideration
Day 1: February 9, 2-6 pm ET
Introduction and Background: Goal and Scope of the Human Brain Census (BRAIN Initiative, Director)
Session 1: Tissue quality and processing for human census (Chairs – Lein/Tsai)
Day 2: February 10, 2-6 pm ET
Session 2: Open consent and tissue pipeline for prospective collection (Chairs – Keene/Tsai)
Day 3: February 11, 2-6 pm ET
Session 3: Break-outs, reports back, and summary
Related Resources
AgendaThe Tissue Quality and Pipeline for Human Brain Census workshop, co-sponsored by the NIH Blueprint and the NIH BRAIN Initiative, took place on February 9-11 in a virtual format. The goal of the workshop was to seek input on best practices and suggestions to ensure a dependable supply of high-quality human brain tissue for the upcoming Phase III of the NIH BRAIN Initiative’s cell census and atlasing effort of the human brain. Specifically, the workshop aimed to address best methods for human brain tissue collection, processing and stabilization, optimal anatomical annotation methods, requirements for a brain sample standard, issues and solutions for obtaining consent for open sharing of census data, how to ensure biological diversity and a representative sample, and inclusion and exclusion criteria.
After three days of presentations and discussion, NIH BRAIN Director Dr. John Ngai summarized the workshop by presenting key takeaway messages. Specifically, he emphasized the need for standardized tissue preparation and the establishment of standard tissue quality control metrics, the need for a common annotation system aided by photo-documentation, the importance of leveraging the power of biological diversity in the human population by making concerted efforts to recruit from underrepresented groups, the need to increase public awareness of brain donation to broaden the pool of “normal” donors, and the requirement to obtain consent for broad genomic data sharing. Future actions will be taken by NIH to agree upon a set of aspirational goals and to identify steps to achieve these goals. Dr. Ngai ended the workshop with a call for collaboration, inclusion, and respect for all brain donors across the spectrum of diversity.