The Genetic Repository...

The Prechter Genetic Repository will be a collection of DNA samples from people who are diagnosed as having bipolar disorder as well as from healthy individuals. The DNA samples can be immortalized and the DNA can be harvested in perpetuity. The Prechter Repository of well-identified samples will allow a large number of scientists around the world to conduct studies that are critical to the advancement of the field.

The Prechter Repository will have a number of features that will distinguish it from repositories at other national research institutions. First, the samples will be collected by a group of participating investigators who follow standardized clinical assessments and procedures. The University of Michigan will incorporate a follow-up component and will gather far more extensive clinical data on the research subjects than what were a part of other samples currently available. The U-M will maintain an ongoing relationship with the participating subjects during the follow-up. The U-M will also blend neuroimaging, neuroendocrine, sleep measures and treatment outcomes with the genetic research to provide clues as to how each individual should be treated.

The Prechter Repository will allow for immediate access to DNA and cell lines for Michigan investigators without the time constraints that exist at other institutions. Immediate access will help promote prompter assessment and translation.

A Treatment Resistant Depression Clinic has been established, with generous support from the Noble Foundation, as a part of the U-M Depression Center. Michigan faculty will be able to bank DNA samples and blood-derived cell lines from that clinic in the Prechter Repository. This will enable focal study of treatment-resistant individuals, an important group for investigation.

Lastly, the Prechter Repository at the University of Michigan will enable pilot studies to ask bolder questions. Studies that are based on new findings will be able to proceed more expeditiously. The Prechter Genetic Repository is a vitally important tool to rapidly accelerate genetic research, one of the most significant areas of study today.