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Michigan BioTrust for Health- Dried Blood Spot Research

Blood Spot Research

Dried blood spots (DBS) left over after newborn screening may be used for medical and public health research studies to better understand underlying causes of disease and possible interventions to improve health outcomes. The BioTrust for Health program at MDHHS oversees the research use of these residual specimens. The availability of DBS for research depends on the consent requirements in place at the time of collection. All research must be approved by MDHHS through the BioTrust application process. This process includes review by the MDHHS Institutional Review Board and the BioTrust Scientific Advisory Board.

The BioTrust Research Report provides a summary and current status of research requesting blood spots from Michigan.

MDHHS, in collaboration with our BioTrust Community Values Advisory Board, has developed policies to outline how DBS can be used in medical and public health research studies: 

Guidelines for Research Use of Dried Blood Spots - DHHS Policy 114

Guidelines for Review and Approval of Research Using Dried Blood Spots - DHHS Policy 115

Newborn Screening Specimens - DHHS Policy 111  

Information for Researchers

Research teams interested in learning more about blood spot research in Michigan can download the BioTrust Research Manual. This manual describes: 

  • DBS availability for research.
  • Policies outlining the appropriate use of DBS in health research.
  • How to apply to MDHHS to use DBS for research purposes.
  • Storage conditions for DBS and more.
 
Application materials:

MDHHS Institutional Review Board

Form: BioTrust Request for Samples

Completed applications for research using blood spots can be submitted by email to BioTrust@michigan.gov

 

 

BioTrust Main Page

 

Updated 10/23/2024