The Russian Human Radiobiological Tissue Repository: A Unique Resource for Studies of Plutonium-Exposed Workers

Abstract

The Russian Radiobiological Human Tissue Repository (RHTR) at the Southern Urals Biophysics Institute in Ozyorsk, Russia, was established to collect and store biospecimens supporting research on health consequences of chronic, low-dose radiation exposures. The purpose of this paper is to describe the RHTR resources and the availability of high-quality biological specimens. RHTR has enrolled two groups of subjects from 1951 to the present time: exposed workers at the Mayak Production Association facilities and residents of Ozyorsk who were never occupationally exposed to ionizing radiation (controls). Biospecimens are collected with informed consent of participants and are annotated with demographic, occupational, dosimetry and medical information. To date, 900 individuals have provided surgical tissues and 1000 have provided autopsy tissues. Blood samples are also collected and stored. Familial DNA is available from parent-offspring triads. Biospecimens and annotated data are available to interested scientists worldwide, via the RHTR website.