New York Blood Center Enterprises (NYBCe) has met the challenge of providing for the critical needs of patients during COVID-19 by delivering the potentially lifesaving resource of COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma (CCP).
NYBCe has exceeded its mandate to meet this pandemic’s unique demands by expanding our laboratory capacity and increasing our donor recruitment outreach to develop a first-in-the-nation convalescent plasma program. NYBCe provided over 10,000 units of plasma to patients. Using this resource, principal investigators of our research division, the Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute (LFKRI), have achieved the following:
- Initiated pre-clinical phase trials for multiple SARS-CoV-2 vaccine and adjuvant candidates.
- Spearheaded a COVID-19 serology (antibody) study of testing platforms currently deployed in the field.
- Begun screening plasma for novel biomarkers to predict COVID-19 responses in patients to help accelerate the nation’s recovery.
Basic research of this novel coronavirus is critical to designing effective therapies and preventing future pandemics. The NYBCe COVID-19 Research Repository (CRR) aims to archive blood components, including plasma, serum, and immune cells, from COVID-19 patients to preserve these critical materials for continued future research. The long-term goal is to foster collaborative research between NYBCe investigators and the scientific community to accelerate the knowledge and understanding of SARS-CoV-2.
Conceptualized in April 2020 and led by the efforts of Dr. Christopher D. Hillyer, President and CEO of NYBCe, and Dr. Larry Luchsinger, Vice President and Director of Research Operations LFKRI, the CRR already possesses an impressive repertoire of samples as we continue to add to the Repository actively. As of December 2020, the CRR includes:
- 4,500+ Convalescent Donor Plasma Samples
- 1,500+ Viable Convalescent Donor PBMC Samples
- 3,000+ Population Prevalence Serum Samples
- Compiled Convalescent Donor Symptom Survey Data
Are you interested in forming a research collaboration with NYBCe investigators or procuring samples for your independent study? Please fill out our Research Inquiry Form.