Blood donation by healthy volunteers for experimental in-vitro research

Infections are still a leading course of mortality worldwide. Sepsis is
associated with a crude mortality of 30-40% and it is currently believed that
only adjuvant immunomodulatory therapy will reduce this high mortality. The aim
of this research is to contribute to the understanding of the pathophysiology
of severe infections, and subsequently providee relevant new insights in the
development of new treatment modalities. In-vitro research has proven to be a
useful tool to test hypothesis and provide proof of principle in fundamental
research. In the present research proposal we would like to ask healthy
volunteer to donate blood, which will be used as an ex-vivo model to test
various immunotherapeutic strategies.

The aim of this research is to contribute to the understanding of the
pathophysiology of severe infections, and subsequently providee relevant new
insights in the development of new treatment modalities. In the present
research proposal we would like to ask healthy volunteer to donate blood, which
will be used as an ex-vivo model to test various immunotherapeutic strategies.

Since the design of our regular in vitro studies normally require an amount of
40 ml of EDTA blood or whole blood, it is not an option to use buffy coats
which could be an alternative. We therefore request to ask healthy volunteers
for blood donation to our lab so in-vitro experiments can be performed. The
standard in-vitro work is isolation of peripheral blood cells and or
neutrophils. After isolation these cells will be stimulated with various
compounds such as microorganisms or recombinant proteins. We than check for
expression of cytokines in the supernatants by ELISA and in the cells by PCR or
western blotting. These procedures are standard and are performed in the well
equipt, experienced and authorized laboratory of the department of Experimental
Medicine.

Volunteers will be asked to give blood. Discomfort can be experienced when the
needle is placed in the vein and the risk of a local hematoma is present. A
vasovagal reaction can be experienced. There will be no direct benefit for the
participant.