DaVita Clinical Research (DCR), a specialty CRO with services spanning a broad spectrum of drug and device development, has launched its Biospecimen Research Grant Program (BioReG), a grant program to award clinical-trial-quality biospecimens and annotated de-identified data to academic medical centers involved in kidney research.

Interested institutions can download application materials at http://www.davitaclinicalresearch.com/bioreg-program.

The goal of the program is for the selected institutions to use biospecimens and associated de-identified data to research common factors or characteristics that contribute to morbidity and mortality in individuals with chronic kidney disease.  

"We recognize the tremendous need to further the evidence-based practice of medicine in chronic kidney disease," said Steven M. Brunelli, M.D., vice president of health outcomes research for DCR. "BioReG provides a critical resource to support those research endeavors and demonstrates our commitment to working with other organizations to advance the collective knowledge of chronic kidney disease."

The biospecimens and data will be awarded to as many as 10 research institutions that score highest on the established criteria:

• Scientific and medical significance
• Investigator qualifications
• Innovation
• Approach and design
• Research environment
• Institutional support

DCR created the biorepository using an IRB-approved protocol and consent and rigorous clinical trial procedures for the collection and storage of samples. This resulted in whole blood, plasma and serum samples collected longitudinally from more than 4,000 individuals receiving dialysis. These samples are linked with de-identified data sets, including demographics, co-morbidities, hospitalizations, lab values, medication data and cause of death (if available/applicable).

Applications will be accepted until September 30, 2015. Selected academic institutions will be announced at American Society of Nephrology Kidney Week, held Nov. 3-8 in San Diego.