Access Samples and Data
The banking and use of biological specimens has tremendous opportunities for research. In 2010, the Indiana Biobank established a bank of DNA specimens linked to the electronic medical record. The DNA and associated de-identified data are provided to approved researchers for their own discovery research. The Indiana Biobank has DNA specimens banked from over 60,000 residents and actively collects over 100 specimens each week.
Each subject is consented to allow for broad-use of specimens by approved researchers. In 2024, the Indiana Biobank launched a large-scale recruitment effort using SMS messaging to obtain consent from IU Health patients. Learn more about this consent here.
Biobank Participant Interactive Heatmap
This interactive map shows the distribution of Indiana Biobank participants across Indiana. Hover over a county to view the number of participants from that area. Use the diagnosis filters to explore participants with specific conditions by expanding a disease category and selecting one or more diagnoses of interest.
Specimens
Sample Request
Please contact us to request DNA samples.
Clinical Data
Each specimen is linked to clinical data via the Indiana Network for Patient Care (INPC), which allows for retrospective and prospective access to de-identified clinical data, including clinical progression and outcomes data.
INPC represents one of the largest health information exchanges in the country with over 100 separate healthcare entities providing data which includes: major hospitals, health networks, and insurance providers. When combined, the information from these institutions represent data on over 18 million patients in the form of 10 billion clinical observations, 951 million encounter records, and over 290 million mineable text reports. In addition to these clinical aspects, the INPC receives data on drugs that have been prescribed to patients within its various institutions. With regards to the population, the percent of residents who have touched the INPC has grown to approximately two thirds of Indiana’s population.
Omics Data
Omics data generated from certain cohorts of Indiana Biobank samples are available to approved researchers. These data include whole exome sequencing (WES), genome wide genotype data (GWAS), RNA transcriptomics, cytokine/chemokine multiplex analyses, PBMC analyses and HLA haplotype data. These data are linked to clinical data stored in electronic medical records.
Indiana Biobank Data Portal
The Indiana Biobank Data Portal provides secure access to de-identified clinical and genomic datasets to support research and improve healthcare outcomes. Designed for researchers, the portal enables users to explore available data, identify relevant cohorts, and request dataset access.
Summary-level data can be browsed directly within the portal to support hypothesis generation and serve as preliminary data for grant applications. De-identified, individual-level data are available upon request for more in-depth analysis.
Learn more about the Indiana Biobank Data Portal here.
Indiana Biobank vs. AnalytiXIN
The Indiana Biobank and AnalytiXIN are closely connected but serve distinct purposes:
Indiana Biobank
- Manages participant recruitment and recall, sample collection, and sample management
- Maintains a dedicated instance of the research data portal for researchers
- Facilitates internal access to detailed biospecimen and clinical/genomic datasets for Indiana Biobank-approved projects
- Participant Viewer: Visualize and drill into individual-level data
AnalytiXIN
- An Indiana statewide consortium
- Provides industry and academic partners with limited, de-identified subsets of Indiana Biobank data and EHR data from other data contributors, such as IU Health
- Serves as a collaborative gateway for industry to work with researchers at Indiana universities
- Enables joint research opportunities, where full access may be granted through partnerships
This distinction ensures appropriate data governance and access control for both academic and commercial uses.