Donate Neonatal Thymus Tissue
Donate Neonatal Thymus Tissue
Researchers need you
A neonatal thymus tissue donation from your baby could be the key to creating the vital human immune response needed for life-saving research - resulting in the same type of medical discoveries that are giving your child a happy, healthy life. You and your baby can give back by taking part in research that could help improve the lives of countless others around the world.
Why donate your child's neonatal thymus tissue?
Early in life, the human immune system is trained through exposure to potential threats like bacteria, viruses, and allergens. This early immune system education enables humans to have a mature and healthy immune response to foreign substances and diseases throughout our lives. In the world of medical research neonatal thymus tissue is a valuable tool in the discovery of treatments and cures for significant medical conditions like Leukemia, Lymphoma, and organ transplant intolerance. Researchers use this tissue to mimic a healthy human immune response that can combat debilitating diseases.
Tissue donation will not change the cardiothoracic procedure
Prior to delivery, a StemExpress technician will go over an informed consent form with you. This form explains the neonatal thymus tissue donation process and will need to be signed and dated before we can collect the tissue sample. Staff may also ask for information such as age and ethnicity, but your child’s name and medical record number will never be attached to the donation.
During their upcoming pediatric cardiothoracic surgery, the neonatal thymus tissue is removed by the surgeon in a routine procedure, as it is of no benefit to your child. This tissue is considered medical waste and is discarded after surgery (this tissue is considered waste after the procedure, regardless of your choice to move forward with the donation). With your consent, this tissue will instead be donated to our on-site experts, where it will be carefully delivered to the researchers who need it.
Our Mission
StemExpress seeks to improve the lives of patients and their families by driving significant change and progress in medical research.