University of Minnesota Medical Center

About

BioE, LLC began collecting umbilical cord blood donations in collaboration with the University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview and the University of Minnesota in 2006.  Cord blood units donated and collected for this program are used for laboratory research only, and not for human transplantation.   The cord blood is utilized in a number of study areas including: the improvement of transplant outcomes for patients receiving cord blood, development of new therapies using umbilical cord blood, and improving the process of separating and storing umbilical cord blood stem cells.  This research is conducted by University of Minnesota transplant physicians and their colleagues as well as BioE and its partners.

Advanced registration is not required.  Cord blood donations for this type of research do not require any maternal or infant blood samples.  There is no cost to the donor or their insurance company.  Potential donors may consent to participation during pregnancy (contact BioE) or upon admission to the hospital.  The only paperwork required is: an informed consent, a HIPAA form, and completion of a brief maternal health survey (three questions).

Established in 1993, BioE is based in St. Paul, MN, and is the inventor of the patented PrepaCyte® technology for isolating stem cells from cord blood.