CAMDEN, NJ--To enable the discovery of therapeutics that will slow or prevent Huntington's disease (HD), research scientists require unobstructed access to biomaterials. Working together with the Coriell Institute for Medical Research, CHDI Foundation has established a secure, centralized repository to store and distribute quality-controlled and reliable research reagents. It is called the HD Community BioRepository.
"We built this repository with the idea that easy, centralized access to these bioresources will accelerate research efforts into treatments for this devastating disease," explained Dr. Douglas Macdonald, a director at CHDI Management and the project's leader. "Partnering with the Coriell Institute, a leader in the storage, quality control, and distribution of biological resources, means that these materials are trustworthy. With easier access to DNA plasmids, cell lines, and antibodies specific for Huntington's disease research, we hope to lower the barrier for entry and thus lure a greater number of scientists to the field to help us face the challenges posed by research and development for the disease."
Huntington's disease is a fatal, familial disease caused by a mutation in the huntingtin gene. The mutation causes brain cells to malfunction, resulting in cognitive and physical impairments that, over the course of the disease, isolate and constrain the individual. There is currently no way to stop or reverse the course of Huntington's disease.
