Human Biospecimens for Research
Human Biospecimens for Research
Find the ideal specimen for your research needs—backed by verified donor medical records.
- Broad matrix selection: Source whole blood, serum, plasma, PBMCs, leukopaks, cerebrospinal fluid, synovial fluid, skin punch biopsies, and more
- Comprehensive donor profiles: Lots include the donor's confirmed diagnosis, medications and demographics
- Immediate catalog access: Search live inventory immediately if you already have your target sample criteria defined
Can't find the samples you need? Request a custom collection
We'll confirm availability, feasibility, and pricing, usually within one business day.
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Every specimen type, filterable by condition, therapeutic area and availability.
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Compare specimen types
The fastest way to choose is usually to work backwards from your readout.
| Specimen | Use it for | Formats |
|---|---|---|
| Whole blood | Flow cytometry on unmanipulated cells, CBC, nucleic acid extraction | Fresh, frozen |
| Serum | Protein and antibody assays, metabolomics, biomarker panels | Fresh, frozen |
| Plasma | Cytokines, coagulation, cfDNA, proteomics | Fresh, frozen; EDTA / heparin / citrate |
| PBMC | Immune profiling, functional assays, restimulation | Cryopreserved |
| Leukopak | High cell numbers for CAR-T, cell therapy, large screens | Fresh, cryopreserved; full or half bag |
| CSF | Neuroinflammation, CNS biomarkers | Frozen |
| Synovial fluid | Joint disease, intra-articular biology | Fresh, frozen |
| Skin punch biopsy | Dermatology, tissue histology, ex vivo skin models | Fresh or frozen |
Human plasma for research
Plasma is the cell-free fraction drawn with an anticoagulant, so it retains the coagulation and cytokine analytes that clotting consumes. Available single-donor or pooled, in EDTA, heparin or citrate, from 1 mL aliquots to full apheresis units.
Use it when you're measuring cytokines, coagulation factors, cfDNA or running proteomics, or when you need large matched volumes from one donor.
Don't use it when your assay was validated on serum — the anticoagulant changes the matrix and results won't be comparable.
Human whole blood for research
Whole blood is drawn to your anticoagulant and volume specification and shipped without processing, so the cells arrive unmanipulated. Fresh shipments go same-day where geography allows.
Use it when you need untouched cells for flow cytometry, or you want to control the isolation yourself.
Don't use it when your site can't process on arrival — the useful window is short, and PBMCs or plasma are the better buy.
Human PBMCs for research
Peripheral blood mononuclear cells — lymphocytes and monocytes isolated by density gradient, supplied cryopreserved.
Use it when you're immune profiling, running functional or restimulation assays, or need many donors at a consistent cell count.
Don't use it when you need more cells from one donor than a standard draw yields — that's a leukopak.
Human serum for research
Serum is the fraction left after clotting, off-the-clot with no anticoagulant. Available single-donor, pooled, AB, fresh or frozen.
Use it when you're running protein or antibody assays, metabolomics or biomarker panels — most commercial kits are validated on serum.
Don't use it when you're measuring anything the clotting cascade consumes or releases, such as fibrinogen or platelet-derived factors. Use plasma.
Human cerebrospinal fluid for research
CSF collected during clinically indicated procedures under an approved protocol, frozen, 1 mL aliquots. Matched blood from the same donor available on request.
Use it when your target is CNS-compartment — neuroinflammation or CNS biomarkers, where plasma is not a proxy.
Don't use it when a peripheral matrix would answer the question. CSF is scarce and priced accordingly.
Human leukopaks for research
A leukopak is an apheresis-collected leukocyte concentrate from a single donor. Fresh or cryopreserved, in full or half units.
Use it when you need cell numbers a standard draw can't reach: CAR-T process development, large screens, cell therapy manufacturing.
Don't use it when a PBMC vial would do — leukopaks cost more and need apheresis scheduling.
Human synovial fluid for research
Collected during clinically indicated arthrocentesis from donors with confirmed joint disease. Fresh or frozen, 1 mL aliquots, with matched serum or plasma available.
Use it when you're studying intra-articular biology and need the fluid actually in contact with the joint.
Don't use it when serum biomarkers would answer it — synovial fluid usually requires a prospective collection.
Human skin punch biopsies for research
Two or three millimetre punches from lesional or non-lesional skin, fresh or frozen, with the donor's dermatological diagnosis attached.
Use it when you need tissue architecture — histology, IHC, ex vivo skin models.
Don't use it when circulating markers would do; a biopsy is an invasive collection with a longer lead time.
Matched sets and healthy controls
Multiple specimen types from the same donor and the same draw — PBMCs with matched plasma, serum with matched synovial fluid, CSF with matched blood. Ordering matched sets removes a variable you would otherwise have to model around.
Healthy controls can be matched to your case arm on age band and sex.
Common matched pairings
- PBMCs with matched plasma from the same draw
- Serum with matched synovial fluid
- CSF with matched whole blood or plasma
- Skin punch biopsy with matched serum
- Demographically matched healthy control arm
Sourcing, consent and documentation
Every specimen is collected under an IRB-approved protocol. Consent is captured electronically in a 21 CFR Part 11–compliant system and donor data handled under HIPAA. Diagnoses are verified against the donor's medical record, not self-reported.
Certificates of analysis, IRB protocol summaries, consent documentation and chain of custody are available on request. More on how we source and on prospective collection to your protocol.
Frequently asked questions
Tell us the assay, we'll tell you the specimen.
Send your endpoint and readout and we'll come back with the specimen type, availability and price — usually within one business day.