The Indiana Biobank, a project to store and collect blood and tissue samples to enhance discoveries in clinical health care, and INresearch, an online register for people interested in participating in research studies, will be present at three public health events this month. The projects are supported by the Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute, IU Health, and the Lilly Endowment.
The month-long tour will kick off Oct. 4 at the Blue Stardust Event Center at the Blue Chip Casino Hotel Spa in Michigan City, IN. The Indiana University Health LaPorte Hospital Women’s Fair is the area’s largest health event with more than 2,100 women in attendance in 2010.
Health fair participants will be invited to contribute a blood sample to the biobank or register their information to be considered for participation in a research study. Nurses will be available on site to collect the samples and representatives will be available to answer questions. This and other events are scheduled:
- Tuesday, Oct. 4: 10th Annual Women’s Health Fair from 2-7 p.m. at Blue Chip Casino Hotel Spa in Michigan City, IN. Sponsored by Indiana University Health LaPorte Hospital.
- Friday, Oct. 7: “Healthy Women, Healthy Hoosiers: Healthcare Practice Across the Lifecourse” from 8 to 5 p.m. at the Marten House Hotel and Lilly Conference Center in Indianapolis. Sponsored by the Indiana State Department of Health Office of Women’s Health and Maternal Child Health.
- Saturday, Oct. 8: Spotlight on Nursing 5K/10K Run/Walk at Fairbanks Hall from 7 to 11 a.m. on the Downtown Canal (north end of canal at 11th Street). Title sponsorship by Indiana University Health.
- Friday, Oct. 28: IUPUI Employee Health & Benefits Fair from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the IUPUI Campus Center.
The Oct. 4, 8 and 28 events will include opportunities to contribute blood to the Indiana Biobank and sign up with INresearch. The Oct. 7 will provide information only, but interested individuals may schedule an appointment to provide a blood sample or register later for consideration in a research study at inresearch.org. All information collected will be subject to strict patient privacy laws.
Since beginning collection this summer, Indiana Biobank has collected over 1,200 samples from the community, including many volunteers from Indiana University Health. INresearch registration also continues to grow steadily.
The Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute is a statewide collaboration between Indiana University, Purdue University and the University of Notre Dame, and public and private partnerships, that facilitates the translation of scientific discoveries in the lab into new treatments and therapies in Indiana and beyond. It was established in 2008 with a $25 million Clinical and Translational Science Award from the National Center for Research Resources of the National Institutes of Health, supplemented by nearly $60 million from the state, the three member universities, and public and private partners. Indiana CTSI is a member of a national network of 60 CTSA-funded organizations across the United States.
The Indiana Biobank was established in July 2010 as a resource for medical researchers throughout the state of Indiana. This statewide collection of biospecimens will serve as a research tool to enhance translational research to improve the health of all and to promote personalized medical therapy. The project is supported by the Eli Lilly Foundation and managed by the Indiana CTSI. For more information.
INresearch is a volunteer register created by the Indiana CTSI to support research in Indiana. It is open to healthy volunteers as well as patients looking to be considered for studies focused on specific health conditions. Registration does not automatically enroll individuals in a research study. Volunteers may review available studies in advance, indicate which studies best fit their needs, and withdraw at any time.