Michigan Neonatal Biobank


	440 Burroughs Suite 320 Detroit, MI 48202 313-483-0386 Fax 313-228-4547 welcome@mnbb.org Map & Directions

Welcome! The Michigan Neonatal Biobank ("Biobank") is a storage and management facility for the Michigan Department of Community Health's archive of dried blood spots. With temperature and humidity controlled space for more than six million blood spot cards the Biobank can house samples representing forty-four years of Michigan births. The dried blood spots were collected as part of Michigan’s mandatory Newborn Screening Program. A portion of the dried blood spots that is leftover after Newborn Screening, is sent to the Biobank for storage. All identifying information is removed from the blood spot card before it is sent to the Biobank. Over the last decade there has been considerable interest in examining the potential usefulness of these residual dried blood spots for research and public health surveillance. The importance of saving the specimens for further use as an important public health resource was recognized by the Michigan Commission on Genetic Privacy and Progress convened by Governor John Engler in 1997. More recently, the Michigan Department of Community Health, in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Michigan Public Health Institute, the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Wayne State University, the Van Andel Institute and others, has taken steps to identify the utility of residual dried blood spots and the infrastructure needed to support more widespread availability of dried blood spots for public health and medical research.

Profile MNB Assistant Ja'Shawnda Golson Ja'Shawnda Golson grew up in Detroit and after graduating from Denby High School she attended Spellman College in Atlanta, GA. Upon completing her first year she transferred from Spellman to Michigan State University where at the age of 22 she is presently in her second year working toward a degree in Accounting. Before interning at the Lansing office of the MNBB Ja'Shawnda worked for three years as an office assistant/manager for Tech Town, where the Biobank is housed. At present, together with other student assistants in Lansing, Ja'Shawnda prepares and labels dried blood spots for storage at the Michigan Neonatal Biobank. She states that being part of the Biobank gives her the feeling of being an important part of the overall Michigan Newborn Screening Program. Ja'Shawnda loves softball and spending time with family and friends. She is a determined, dedicated, young woman and is an asset to Michigan Neonatal Biobank.