Access Data & Biospecimens (ADB) FAQ

  S4 is the only cohort offering tissue samples with colon, skin, and submandibular gland samples available. For a more comprehensive tissue inventory, we recommend exploring the Brain and Body Donation Program.  

Multiple MJFF cohorts are suitable for discovery research. For more details on each cohort’s research focus, please refer to the MJFF Biospecimen Page. Applying for PPMI requires strong preliminary data. If you are interested in PPMI samples but lack sufficient data, we recommend applying for a discovery cohort first to generate the necessary preliminary data to support your PPMI application.

Samples are available to academic and industry researchers, with no restrictions on eligibility.

You can apply for samples either as part of an MJFF grant application or as a standalone ($0) sample request. If you plan to request for samples as part of an application for an MJFF funding opportunity, the application materials will include the biosample request form.

Alternatively, you can apply exclusively for samples. These applications are not intended for requests for funding. To request PPMI samples, please follow the instructions on the PPMI website. For S4 samples, email resources@michaeljfox.org  for the application and further details. For all other cohorts, please refer to the instructions on the BRAC website.

There are no costs associated with receiving MJFF samples.

You can apply exclusively for samples, without requesting MJFF funding or having an MJFF grant. The application form, however, will require proof of available funding for research on the ADB biosamples. Please see the “How Do I apply?” section above for more information on the application process.

MJFF utilizes external review committees to review sample applications. The committees meet regularly throughout the year to review applications. For inquiries regarding the review committees or their timelines, please contact resources@michaeljfox.org.

Each cohort has its own IP policy. Most cohorts allow researchers to generate IP on inventions arising from the use of biosamples and data. However, there are some exceptions:

PPMI (Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative), S4, and LRRK2 Cohort Consortium (LCC) are intended primarily as validation cohorts. Researchers are prohibited from generating IP on inventions arising from the use of these cohorts' samples and data.

For more information on these cohort’s IP policies, please review the following:

• PPMI Biospecimen Use Agreement
• S4 Biospecimen Use Agreement
• LCC Biospecimen Use Agreement

You can apply for an IP exemption if you would like to utilize LCC, S4, or PPMI samples or data to generate IP.

• For PPMI, please review the PPMI Biospecimen Use Agreement for information on the process. PPMI cell lines are already exempt from the IP policy and do not require a formal IP exemption.

For S4 and LCC, please email resources@michaeljfox.org for more information on the process.  

All researchers must sign an MJFF contract--either a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for $0 sample projects or a grant agreement for MJFF-funded projects--along with a Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) with both MJFF and the biorepository to receive samples. If you apply for samples as part of an open MJFF grant, the grant agreement will be amended to include the cohort terms and policies.

Most research using cell lines will not require a license. However, for-profit companies seeking to use the cell lines for the screening of compounds will need to pay compound screening fees.

Furthermore, MJFF’s license with the cell line manufacturer prohibits the use of cell lines in a “work-for-hire” model. If you wish to use the cell lines for this purpose, you will need to obtain a separate license from the manufacturer.

Please email resources@michaeljfox.org for more information on licenses. For more details on the terms of using cell lines, please refer to the PPMI Cell Line Use Agreement.

The shipping timeline varies based on several factors, including contracting, the complexity of the request, and the number of projects in the biorepository’s distribution queue.