Linking brain tissue with scans, tests, and medical records
Integration and interoperability of complex data and tissues from the human brain
This project will build a virtual brain tissue bank that connects fresh tissue to scans, blood tests, and medical records to help people with brain diseases.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Illinois at Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11143087 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If I take part, the team will link my removed brain tissue (often from surgery) to my imaging, EEG, blood tests, genetic results, and clinic notes using standardized tissue handling and a software platform called INTUITION. They plan to expand INTUITION into a shared virtual tissue bank and an educational program so other hospitals can collect and use the same high-quality, linked samples. The project focuses on careful processing and detailed data curation so researchers can match molecular findings to the exact brain location and clinical history. By combining many types of information from real patients, the effort aims to make discoveries that would be hard to see from any one data type alone.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults (typically 21+) undergoing neurosurgery—frequently for epilepsy—who can consent to donate tissue and share their medical data.
Not a fit: People who will not have brain surgery or who do not want to donate tissue or share medical records are unlikely to directly benefit from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could speed discovery of new diagnostic markers, imaging signatures, and treatment targets for brain disorders by making richly linked tissue and clinical data available.
How similar studies have performed: Previous work using INTUITION and the center's standardized tissue methods has already produced molecular biomarkers, imaging findings, and potential therapeutic targets, and this project aims to scale and standardize those results.
Where this research is happening
Chicago, UNITED STATES
- University of Illinois at Chicago — Chicago, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Loeb, Jeffrey a — University of Illinois at Chicago
- Study coordinator: Loeb, Jeffrey a
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.