Donors of any racial and ethnic group and sex who are age 21–70 in whom biospecimen collection can start within 24 hours of death are eligible. There are few medical exclusionary criteria: human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection or high-risk behaviors, viral hepatitis, metastatic cancer, chemotherapy or radiation therapy for any condition within the past 2 years, whole blood transfusion in past 48 hours, or body mass index ≥ 35 or ≤18.5. Each BSS collects, where feasible, aliquots from many pre-designated tissue sites and organs (Supplementary Table 1), including the brain of deceased donors who were not on a ventilator for the 24 hours prior to death. Immediately after excision, most of the aliquots are stabilized in a solution containing alcohols (ethanol and methanol), acetic acid, and a soluble organic compound that fixes primarily by protein precipitation (PAXgene Tissue, Qiagen) and shipped to the CBR. Only blood samples and full-thickness skin biopsies are sent unfixed to the LDACC for cell line initiation. The majority of the brain and brainstem are also left unfixed and shipped overnight on wet ice to a brain bank. Further details of donor recruitment and sample collection, including Standard Operating Procedures, are available through caHUB.
