New York Blood Center Enterprises (NYBCe) has met the challenge to provide for the critical needs of patients during COVID-19 by providing the potentially life-saving resource of COVID-19 convalescent plasma (CCP). NYBCe has exceeded its mandate in an effort to meet the unique demands of this pandemic by expanding our laboratory capacity and increasing our donor recruitment outreach to develop a ‘first in the nation’ convalescent plasma program. As of May 2020, NYBCe has provided over 10,000 units to patients. Using this resource, principal investigators of our research division, the Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute (LFKRI), have:
- 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 in an effort to help accelerate the recovery of the nation.
Basic research of this novel coronavirus is critical to designing effective therapies and preventing future pandemics. The purpose of the NYBCe COVID-19 Research Repository (CRR) is to archive blood components, including plasma, serum and immune cells, from COVID-19 patients to preserve these critical materials for continued future research with the long term goal of fostering collaborative research between NYBCe investigators and the scientific community to accelerate the knowledge and understanding of SARS-CoV-2. Conceptualized and led by the efforts of Dr. Christopher D. Hillyer, President and CEO of NYBCe and Dr. Larry Luchsinger in April of 2020, the CRR already possesses an impressive repertoire of samples as we continue to actively add to the Repository. As of December 2020, the CCR includes:
- 4,500+ Convalescent Donor Plasma Samples
- 1,500+ Viable Convalescent Donor PBMC Samples
- 3,000+ Population Prevalence Serum Samples
- Convalescent Donor Symptom Survey Data
To learn more about NYBCe’s current COVID-19 research projects, download this summary. Interested in forming a research collaboration with NYBCe investigators or procuring samples for your independent study? Please fill out our Research Inquiry Form.
Research Inquiry Form