Principal Investigator

Jane Buckner, MD
Rheumatology, Virginia Mason Medical Center
President, Benaroya Research Institute
Translational Research Program Director, Benaroya Research Institute

Why study healthy immune systems?

Scientists have learned that to understand autoimmune disease and other diseases of the immune system, we need to profile what healthy immune systems look like.

Who can participate?

We are currently enrolling adults and children, ages 1 and older, who do not have an  autoimmune disease, or other immune system disease, to join our Healthy Volunteer Biorepository. You can sign up here. Feel free to encourage family members and friends to also participate.

What is the Healthy Control Biorepository?

The Healthy Volunteer Registry and Biorepository is a confidential list of people that do not have an immune-mediated or autoimmune disease, who are willing to donate a blood sample and provide health information to Benaroya Research Institute (BRI) to support scientific research. Donated samples and personal and family health information is used by scientists in the laboratory and in analysis to help us better understand the causes and long term health effects of immune-mediated diseases, as well as to explore better treatment options that can be used by physicians in patient care.

Samples from healthy 'control' volunteers allow scientists to study how a healthy immune system works in comparison to one that has disease. All of the information gathered is kept confidential, and samples and health information used by scientists are coded with a number, not your name.

Sound Life Project

This project is focused on studying the healthy immune system and is currently recruiting adults between the ages of 25-35 and 55-65 within the Seattle area for a two-year research partnership. The purpose is to develop a detailed baseline of what constitutes normal, healthy immune systems and to study a variety of factors that can impact the immune system, including genetics, lifestyle and environmental factors. This knowledge will serve as a foundation for exciting and future disease research programs. 

This initiative is in partnership with the Allen Institute for Immunology.