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The following Web resources address logistical and ethical issues associated with collection of biological specimens for research.

  • Assay guidance manual from the Eli Lilly and Company and the National Institutes of Health Chemical Genomics Center is a detailed guide about assays, related procedures and terminology.

 

  • The UNC Core Facilities provide a variety of services to the UNC campus including specimen assay. Their searchable directory indicates what services are available through the various cores.

  • The UNC Clinical Nutrition Research Center is a campus resource for researchers interested in combining basic nutrition and studies of populations in an effort to answer questions on how nutrition affects health. The center can provide guidance about collection and assay of nutrition-related biomarkers.

  • The UNC Center for Infectious Diseases, also on the UNC campus, provides ongoing clinical, educational, and research capacity for studies related to infectious diseases.

  • Cells and Surveys: Should Biological Markers Be Included in Social Science Research? The National Academies Press published this book about issues related to inclusion of biological/genetic markers in social science research. The full text is available online.

 

  • The New Genetics from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences is a layman's guide to gene basics. Includes a gene specific crossword puzzle.   Written for a general audience.

 

  • Inside the Cell from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences provides a detailed overview about cells, their components, diseases, and life cycle with ample illustrations. Written for a general audience.

 

  • Network of Measurement of Biological Risk is a resource linked to the NIH Demography of Aging Centers. The site provide information about specific biomarkers and how they are measured.

  • Lab Tests Online focuses on providing laboratory test information for patients and can aid researchers in understanding what clinical tests are available, what specimens are collected, and what is measured.

  • See the International Society for Biological and Environmental Repositories (ISBER) website for additional information on logistics and storage of specimens.

  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention International Laboratory-related Resource and Activity Directory is a resource for laboratory practices, manuals, and standards to promote high-quality laboratory practices.

  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Office of Health and Safety's Web site provides a variety of documents about importation of etiologic agents, biosafety in microbiological and biomedical laboratories, guidelines from the World Health Organization for the safe transport of infectious substances and diagnostic specimens, guidelines for packaging and shipping biomedical materials, and a variety of other information about handling biological specimens.