Meeting and Workshops

FUTURE MEETINGS

PROGRAM OF THE 2011 WORKSHOP ON BRAIN BANKING
BIO/BRAIN BANKING SESSION OF THE 87th ANNUAL MEETING

OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF NEUROPATHOLOGISTS

SHERATON SEATTLE HOTEL

Saturday, June 25th, 2011, 4:30 – 5:30PM

1. Introduction - Brain banks and brain banking in the last decade.

Presented by Piotr Kozlowski, M.D., International Brain Banking Network, New York, NY

Brain banking is evolving from classical frozen/fixed banking to biobanking. The demand for the quality research specimens is increasing, together with increased demand for matching CSF, blood samples, clinical and genetic data.

2. The critical role of neuropathologists in modern brain banking and research bio-banking.

Presented by Karen M. Weidenheim, M.D., Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY

Brain banks provide tissues from specific neuroanatomic sites with or without specific neurological disorders tailored to the requirements of individual researchers. Neuropathologists are responsible for accurate diagnosis of the numerous pathological changes that can be found in a given specimen, as well as for identification of the neuroanatomic areas of the brain and tissue preservation. These parameters may affect the usefulness (or not) of a given specimen for a specific scientific investigation. The neuropathologist's responsibility also extends into issues of quality control of specimens including infection control, proper transport, and, as far as possible, ensuring ethical use and disposal of specimens used for research. Careful attention to these details will enhance the power of research carried out using the specimens.

3. European Brain Banking Network 2005-2010: Challenges and accomplishments.

Presented by Hans Kretzschmar, M.D., FRCPath, Institut für Neuropathologie, München, Germany

Brain Net Europe is an association of 18 brain banks with a common data base and shared standard operating procedures. In this collaboration we have tested in inter-laboratory trials a number of histological diagnostic criteria for neurodegenerative diseases. Other major efforts were made to set ethical standards for brain banking and to establish standards for tissue preservation. This collaboration was funded for 6 years by the European Union and is now continuing as an association.

4.Control Brain Specimens: A Complex Dilemma.

Presented by John E. Donahue, M.D. and Edward G. Stopa, M.D., Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University,Providence, RI

Brains of infants and children are actively developing through myelination and secretion of various growth factors and cytokines before settling down into the "steady state" brain of young adulthood. As we age, that "steady-state"begins to break down. Because of the differences in the developing "steady state" and aging brain, it is important to appropriately match control brains to diseased brains of similar age. However, that is becoming progressively moredifficult to accomplish, mainly because of a declining autopsy rate in hospitals. Solutions need to be found to ensurea continued supply of control brains of various ages so that research involving human autopsy brain tissue can continue.

5.Open Discussion – Funding and support for brain banking.

PAST MEETINGS

Annual Workshops of the American Brain Banking Network

The First Annual Workshop on Brain Banking

“Brain Banking in Neuropathological Practice”,

1996 AANP Meeting, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

1. Results of a survey of AANP Members: Brain Banking in Neuropathological Practice. Presented by Piotr B. Kozlowski

2. Reversing Underutilization of Postmortem Tissue: What Makes Brain Banks Worth Using. Presented by Wallace W. Tourtelotte

3. Biohazard Concerns and Brain Banking. Presented by Karen M. Weidenheim

4. Financial and Administrative Concerns in Brain Banking – Who Will Pay? Presented by Edward G. Stopa

The Second Annual Workshop on Brain Banking

“Ethical and Legal Aspects of Brain Banking

1997 AANP Meeting, Pittsburgh, PA

1. Acquisition of Brain Tissue for Research : Legal Aspects. Introduction- Presented by Piotr B. Kozlowski

2. Consent for Brain Donation. Presented by Stephen L. Vincent

3. Tissue Procurement and the Issues of Consent in Developmental Brain Banking. Presented by Sally Wisniewski and H. Ronald Zielke

4. Philosophical Reflections on Thanatophobia and Organ Donation. Presented by Christos Evangeliou

The Third Annual Workshop on Brain Banking

“Brain Banking in the Changing Landscape of Neuropathology”

1998 AANP Meeting, Minneapolis, MN

1. Neuropathologists: Quality Control and Human Tissue Research. Presented by Karen Weidenheim

2. The Brain Banking Experience at Rush Presbyterian St. Luke’s Medical Center in Chicago. Presented by ElizabethCochran

3. Administrative Aspects of Brain Banking. Presented by Carol Petito

4. Critical Role of the Neuropathologist and Brain Tumor Center Specialty Tissue Bank in Neuro-Oncology Research. Presented by Gregory N. Fuller

The Fourth Annual Workshop on Brain Banking

“Standards of Quality in Brain Banking”

1999 AANP Meeting, Portland, OR

1. Quality Assurance in Brain Banking. Introduction –presented by Piotr B. Kozlowski

2. Social Factors and Family Support for Successful Rapid Autopsy. Presented by Christine Hulette

3. Systematic Retrospective Interview for Brain Banking: Presentation of a Pilot System. Presented by Bruce Quinn

4. Standardized Brain Tissue Preparation Protocols: Meeting the Needs of the Neuroscience Research Community. Presented by Steven L. Vincent

5. Prospective Collection of Specimens for NeuroAIDS Research. Presented by Benjamin Gelman

The Fifth Annual Workshop on Brain Banking

“Clinical Aspects of Brain Banking”

The 76^th Annual AANP Meeting, Atlanta, GA, June 8, 2000

1. Getting Control of the “Controls.” Presented by Stephen L. Vincent

2. Banking CNS and Other Tissues from Patients with Cerebrovascular Disease: Unique Problems, Challenges & Opportunities. Presented by Harry Vinters

3. The NIMH Brain Collection: Neuropathological Studies in Schizophrenia. Presented by Joel E. Kleinman

4. The National NeuroAIDS Tissue Consortium: Linking Independent Brain Banks with a Focus on Infectious Disease. Presented by Susan Morgello

5. Prion diseases and Brain Banking. Presented by Pierluigi Gambetti

6. National Disease Research Interchange (NDRI): A Nationwide Resource for Human Tissue. Presented by Samuel Conway

Other Brain Banking Meetings

International Workshop on Brain Banking, Bethesda, March 11-12, 2002

Meeting organized by NIH National Institute of Neurological Disorders and stroke, National Institute on Drug Abuse, national Institute on Aging and NIH Office of Rare Diseases

Plenary Sessions:

Brain banking in the United States

Models of brain banking

International collaboration, networking and specimen and data exchange

New developments and challenges

Breakout Sessions:

CNS injury and repair

Neurodevelopmental brain banking

Substance abuse and neuropsychiatric disorders

Neurodegenerative diseases

Neuroinfectious disorders

CNS tumors, stroke and epilepsy

XVth International Congress of Neuropathology, Turin, Italy, September 14-18, 2003
Brain Banking Workshop

P. Kozlowski (USA) International Brain Banking Network (IBBN) and web-based data exchange

H. Kretzschmar (Germany) Quality control and quality assurance

R. Ravid (The Netherlands) Modern models of brain banking. What make brain banks go round?

D. Perl (USA) Banking of control specimens from various countries and ethnic groups and of specimens of non-neural tissues and fluids

F. Benes (USA) Ethical and moral issues associated with brain donations

Meetings of the European Brain Banking Network – Brain Net Europe

BrainNet Europe International Conference on Human Brain Tissue Research

Island of San Servolo, Venice, Italy, 13-15 June 2006

This international conference was focused on the practice of modern brain banking and molecular research using human brain tissue.

The topics included

 Proteomics

 Gene Expression Profiling

 Neurochemistry

 Neuropathological Diagnostic Criteria of Neurological and Psychiatric Diseases

 Alzheimer, Parkinson, Prion Diseases, Motor Neuron Diseases, Inflammatory and Demyelinating Diseases, Psychiatric Illnesses

 Data Handling and Protection

 Ethical Issues

Speakers included
Heiko Braak, Dennis Dickson, William G. Honer, Svante Pääbo, Jean-Paul Vonsattel
and other invited experts and speakers selected from submitted abstracts.

BrainNet Europe 2nd International Conference on Human Brain Tissue Research

Munich, Germany 10 – 12, December 2008

This international conference was focused on the practice of modern brain banking and molecular research using human brain tissue.

The topics included:

 Multiple Sclerosis and other Demyelinating Diseases

 Frontotemporal Dementia

 Alzheimer, Parkinson, Motoneuron Disease, Prion Disease, Psychiatric Diseases

 Neuropathological Diagnostic Criteria

 Epigenetics

 Gene Expression Profiling

 Proteomics

 Neurochemistry

 Brain Bank Management

 Data Handling and Protection

 Ethical Issues

Brain Net Europe speakers included: Irina Alafuzoff, Isidro Ferrer, Inge Huitinga, Tamas Revesz, Richard Reynolds. Invited speakers included: Francesca Aloisi, Sabine Bahn, Glenda Halliday, May Han, Kurt Jellinger, Manuela Neumann, Christina Stadelmann, Brigitte Tag, Markus Tolnay, and other experts and speakers selected from submitted abstracts.