Human Developmental Biology Resource
Research type
Research Tissue Bank
IRAS ID
119798
Contact name
Stephen C Robson
Contact email
Research summary
Human Developmental Biology Resource
REC name
North East - Newcastle & North Tyneside 1 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
08/H0906/21+5
Date of REC Opinion
4 Sep 2013
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion
Data collection arrangements
Embryonic and fetal material will be collected from consenting women undergoing surgical and medical termination of pregnancy between 4 and 22 weeks of pregnancy from a number of sites. Anonymised samples will be transferred to two Human Tissue Authority licensed centres (Institute of Child Health - UCL and Institute of Genetic Medicine - Newcastle University) which make up the Human Developmental Biology Resource).
Women who are eligible to participate in the study will be approached by a member of the research team after admission to the ward/unit for a termination of pregnancy. The research nurse/midwife or research technician, who will have undertaken formal informed consent training, will not be involved in the scientific aspects of the study. Suitable women will be given a verbal explanation about the project by the research team member, followed by the Patient Information Sheet and Consent Form.
Research programme
Understanding gene function is currently a major research priority. Determining the expression of important genes during the embryonic/fetal phases of human development is critical if we are to understand gene function. While animal models provide a useful starting point to map where specific genes are expressed, some genes are only expressed in humans and patterns of expression of some genes vary substantially between species. The HDBR provides human embryonic and fetal material to scientists to study the expression of important human genes with the aim of understanding the role of specific genes in human congenital anomalies.
Storage license
12534
RTBTitle
Human Developmental Biology Resource
Establishment organisation
Newcastle University
Establishment organisation address
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 7RU