OHSU Pulmonary Biospecimen Repository

Accelerating Discovery in ARDS, Sepsis, and Lung Health

Respiratory diseases are the third leading cause of death worldwide, significantly impacting global healthcare costs. Highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) emphasize the urgent need for biorepositories to support clinical and translational research.

To address this critical need, Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) established the Pulmonary Biospecimen Repository. This repository fosters groundbreaking research in acute and chronic pulmonary conditions, including:

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) Viral & Bacterial Respiratory Illnesses (e.g., COVID-19, Influenza) Pulmonary Fibrosis Interstitial Lung Disease
Request Biospecimens ā†— Email Steering Committee

About the Repository

Our repository collects bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and other pulmonary pathology samples obtained during clinically indicated bronchoscopies at OHSU. Biospecimens are securely linked with comprehensive clinical data to:

  • Advance Research: Support clinical, translational, and basic science research across multiple departments and schools.
  • Foster Collaboration: Encourage interdisciplinary partnerships within OHSU and with external institutions.
  • Improve Patient Outcomes: Drive the development of new diagnostics, treatments, and mechanistic insights.

Specific Aims

  • Comprehensive Biorepository: Enroll 100 subjects annually across inpatient and outpatient settings. Collect up to 50 non-infectious/non-inflammatory control BAL fluid samples.
  • Integrated Clinical Data: Maintain a secure, coded database linking specimens to medical history, lab values, imaging, and bronchoscopy findings.
  • Long-Term Sustainability: Build a self-sustaining model by incorporating specimen utilization costs into investigator grant budgets.

Multidisciplinary Steering Committee

The repository is supervised by OHSU faculty with extensive expertise in sample collection, biorepository management, and collaborative research:

Pulmonary, Allergy & Critical Care Dr. Akram Khan
Infectious Diseases Dr. William Messer
Pathology Dr. David Sauer

How to Collaborate

Priority is given to pilot studies generating preliminary data for new grant applications. Follow these steps to access biospecimens:

1
Initial Contact

Discuss your research goals and sample needs with our team.

Submit Inquiry ā†—
2
Proposal Submission

Submit a concise project proposal to our steering committee for review.

3
IRB Approval

Obtain necessary Institutional Review Board (IRB) approvals for your study.

4
Access Samples

Upon approval, receive fully characterized biospecimens and annotated clinical data.

Benefits of Partnering

High-Quality Samples: Well-characterized BAL fluid & pulmonary tissue
Comprehensive Data: Linked clinical, laboratory & imaging datasets
Expert Support: Guidance from interdisciplinary clinical researchers
Grant Readiness: Leverage preliminary data to strengthen funding proposals

References & Citations

  1. Prevalence and attributable health burden of chronic respiratory diseases, 1990-2017. The Lancet Respiratory Medicine. 2020;8(6):585-596.
  2. Austin ED, Kawut SM, Gladwin MT, Abman SH. Pulmonary hypertension: NHLBI Workshop on the Primary Prevention of Chronic Lung Diseases. Annals of the American Thoracic Society. 2014;11(Suppl 3).
  3. Blackwell TS, Tager AM, Borok Z, et al. Future directions in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis research. An NHLBI workshop report. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. 2014;189(2):214-222.
  4. Ginde AA, Brower RG, Caterino JM, et al. Early High-Dose Vitamin Dā‚ƒ for Critically Ill, Vitamin D-Deficient Patients. The New England Journal of Medicine. 2019;381(26):2529-2540.
  5. Moss M, Huang DT, Brower RG, et al. Early Neuromuscular Blockade in the Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome. The New England Journal of Medicine. 2019;380(21):1997-2008.
  6. Bates TA, Weinstein JB, Farley SE, Leier HC, Messer WB, Tafesse FG. Cross-reactivity of SARS-CoV structural protein antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. bioRxiv. 2020.