The intent of biospecimen research is to apply genetic science to human health in order to improve healthcare. Biospecimen research is inherently dependent upon an individual’s willingness to donate biological materials such as DNA, blood, or tissue fragments to the research community for altruistic purposes. Not all of the tissue taken for a biopsy is required for diagnosis, so researchers can use the “extra” tissue to improve understanding about a disease, develop targeted therapies, and enhance quality of life for affected individuals.

Many patient donors report that they wish that “something good” will result from their disease, and hope that by donating, they will contribute positively to finding cures for others. Since many diseases have a genetic aspect, many patients believe that they will in this way be helping family members as well as society in general.

Research using biospecimens:

• Allows researchers to obtain more in-depth information regarding disease status in an individual.
• Allows for the potential to develop more efficient or targeted drugs for deadly and debilitating diseases.
• Facilitates more rapid discovery of disease prevention and cures.