Neurosciences Research Repository (NRR)

In order to expand neuroscience research and move laboratory advances to patients, there is a need to integrate reliable clinical data with biologic information from patient tissue specimens. The Neuroscience Research Repository (NRR) seeks to meet this need. The NRR is a prospective database and sample bank created to collect information and samples for current and future neuroscience research. The objective of this NRR is to develop a data and sample repository for study of neurological conditions. A repository utilizing standardized electronic health data and samples collected in a uniform manner serves to foster the ability to perform research on current and future projects. Samples and data for clinical, genomic and proteomic analysis will be provided to optimize their value for neuroscience research.

The NRR will enroll patients and collect clinically recorded longitudinal data for as long as they are followed by the Neurosurgery service and up to an additional 5 years after being released from care. Patients will be enrolled on admission to the service and samples will be taken at three time points: Time One, within 24 hours of event (preferably first blood draw); Time Two, within 48 hours of event; and Time Three, time of any residual tissue availability. Family members of select groups of patients will also be approached for enrollment.

Samples and data will be labeled with a study code to maintain confidentiality. Samples and data will be maintained in secure, limited access environments with back-up/redundancy procedures in place. Sample inventory will be maintained with a bar-coding system. A duty to warn clause will be included in the consent as will the determination of willingness to be re-contacted for future research. Time of sample acquisition to time of sample processing will be documented for quality control purposes. Freezers will be monitored for temperature stability. Recipient investigators will be requested to provide feedback on sample quality. Samples will be distributed to neuroscience investigators after approval from the Neurosurgery Scientific Review Committee - Dissemination Review Committee and the Committee for the Protection of Human Subjects (CPHS).

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Neurological Conditions
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: tissue and data repository

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Estimated): 15000

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: G Hergenroeder; Email: Georgene.W.Hergenroeder@uth.tmc.edu

Study Locations

• United States
  • Texas
    • Houston, Texas, United States, 77030
      • Recruiting
      • Memorial Hermann Hospital

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 1 second and older (Child, Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

All patients admitted to the Neurosurgery service (Mischer Neuroscience Institute/UT Department of Neurosurgery or Neurosurgical Critical Care service) are eligible for this study. Family members of those with select conditions will be approached for enrollment at a future date.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Neurosurgical patient (primary or consulting); patients<18 includes residual tissue only, no blood samples.
2. Family members of specific vascular, trauma, brain tumor and functional disorder cohorts (will be identified in future addendums to this repository)

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Inability to obtain informed consent

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

2

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
Neurosurgical patient; Neurosurgical patient of the Mischer Neuroscience Institute, 18 years and over	Other: tissue and data repository; Tissue and data will be maintained in a repository for study from consenting subjects.
Family members; Family members of specific vascular, trauma, brain tumor and functional disorder cohorts	Other: tissue and data repository; Tissue and data will be maintained in a repository for study from consenting subjects.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Discharge status	Standardized functional outcome score	hospital discharge

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Georgene W Hergenroeder, PhD, McGovern Medical School at UTHealth

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): March 1, 2009
• Primary Completion (Estimated): March 1, 2030
• Study Completion (Estimated): August 1, 2030

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 6, 2009
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 6, 2009
• First Posted (Estimated): March 9, 2009

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): August 7, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 5, 2025
• Last Verified: August 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Neurological; Neurosurgical
• Other Study ID Numbers: HSC-MS-08-0413

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No