The Developmental Genotype-Tissue Expression (dGTEx) project is an NIH initiative to establish a resource of pediatric human tissues and comprehensive gene expression data. The project aims to collect tissues and build gene expression profiles from at least 120 postmortem pediatric donors to better understand the impact of genomic variation on complex traits and diseases. dGTEx is an extension of the GTEx program, which the NIH launched in 2010 in response to a gap in the availability of high-quality human tissue samples and associated gene expression information.
NDRI, along with collaborators at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Maryland, and Johns Hopkins All Children’s, were awarded a 5-year grant to serve as the Biospecimen Procurement Center (BPC) for dGTEx. NDRI will partner with Gift of Donor Program, LifeGift, Center for Organ Recovery and Education, Infinite Legacy, Donor Network West, and ConnectLife to provide a comprehensive network to identify eligible donors and contribute extensive expertise in tissue recovery.
Leading the dGTEx project at NDRI is Program Manager, Patrick Van Hoose, Ph.D. Patrick received his doctorate in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Louisville in Kentucky. He then completed postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Kentucky and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where his research focused on cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Assisting Patrick on the project will be Program Technician, Emilie Hattrell. Emilie is a recent graduate of the University of Sciences in Philadelphia with a B.S. in Biochemistry.
In addition to managing the dGTEx organ procurement organization network and coordinating the donor screening and recovery of biospecimens from dGTEx donors, Patrick and Emilie will aid in the Ethical, Legal, Social Implications (ELSI) study associated with the project, led by Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital. The dGTEx ELSI study evaluates tissue requesters and family decision makers of both children that are deceased and children at a high-risk of mortality with a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion to gain broad perspectives on ELSI factors for tissue donation. Learn more on dGTEx here!
