Welcome!
The Johns Hopkins Biological Repository (JHBR The Johns Hopkins Biological Repository (JHBR), directed by Dr. Gregory Kirk, operates as a fee-for-service laboratory and repository service center providing a broad range of services including phlebotomy, collection of blood and other body fluids, specimen processing, laboratory testing, cell cryopreservation, long-term storage, and DNA extraction. Established in 1984, JHBR includes approximately 1,800 square feet of Biosafety Level 2 laboratory space located on the 6th floor of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, as well as a 6,000 square foot offsite JHBR Repository Core housing liquid nitrogen cryogenic units which replaced traditional -80°C and -150°C mechanical freezers for long-term biological specimen storage.
JHBR is certified under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) to perform HIV-1 viral load RT-PCR testing on seropositive participants
Plasma RNA quantification is conducted using the Roche COBAS® 5800 HIV RNA assay, with a detection range of 20 to 10,000,000 copies/mL.
In addition to CLIA certification, JHBR participates in proficiency testing programs and maintains certifications with the College of American Pathologists (CAP), the Virology Quality Assurance (VQA) Program for all approved testing services, and the Immunology Quality Assurance program for PBMC isolation.
To support expanding molecular and epigenetic research, JHBR has implemented a fully automated platform for DNA extraction and quantification.
The expanded JHBR Repository Core is a state-of-the-art cryogenic storage facility located on Shannon Drive in Baltimore, Maryland, approximately three miles from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (JHSPH). Biological specimens are stored in high-capacity vapor phase liquid nitrogen cryogenic tanks manufactured by Taylor-Wharton. Currently, 68 cryogenic units are maintained with 24-hour security, continuous monitoring, and daily temperature surveillance.
The storage capacity of these units ranges from approximately 20,000 to 94,000 vials using standard 2-inch freezer boxes (9 × 9 and 10 × 10 configurations). Currently, JHBR repository core supports long-term preservation and management of unique biospecimen aliquots, including multiple HIV studies including long-standing, high-profile HIV cohorts (MWCCS, ALIVE) and trial networks (HPTN, ACTG). These cryogenic systems provide enhanced specimen security, long-term preservation, and improved energy efficiency.
Each aliquot generated in the JHBR laboratories is labeled with a Freezerworks™ barcode label containing key specimen information, including sample ID, sample date, and sample type. These labels are designed to withstand temperatures below -190°C. Barcode scanning enables accurate specimen tracking and direct linkage of each aliquot to its corresponding sample record within the database.
Gregory Kirk - Professor
| Hours | Location |
|
7 a.m.- 4:30 p.m./ Mon-Fri |
615 North Wolfe Street Room W6620 Baltimore, MD, 21205 |
| Name | Role | Phone | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akila Hadji |
Laboratory Manager
|
410 955 3003
|
ahadji1@jh.edu
|
BSPH. Room W6620
|
| Tara John |
Sr. Research Specialist II
|
410 955 7206
|
tjohn4@jhu.edu
|
BSPH. Room W6620
|
| Sarah Minihane |
Research Technologist
|
410 955 7203
|
sminiha1@jh.edu
|
BSPH. Room W6620
|
