NIH Brain Development Cohorts (NBDC) Biospecimen Access (X01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
Last verified by NonDilute: 2026-04-29. Official notice and agency instructions control.
Tap a decade-long biospecimen repository from 11,000+ U.S. children to study brain development, genetics, and environmental health without running your own recruitment.
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What this is
The NIH is offering researchers access to a unique biospecimen repository from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, the largest ongoing longitudinal study of U.S. child development. Samples include saliva (hormones), urine/hair (substance use and environmental exposure), deciduous teeth (environmental exposure), and blood (genetics, metabolic and hematologic assays). This X01 mechanism provides structured access to an existing, ethically approved cohort of 11,000+ children tracked over a decade, eliminating the need to recruit and collect your own samples. Ideal for researchers studying neurodevelopment, environmental health, genetics, and developmental trajectories.
Who can apply
Broad eligibility: universities (public/private), nonprofits (501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)), small businesses, for-profit organizations, government entities, tribal organizations, and independent school districts. Solo researchers must be affiliated with an eligible institution. Clinical trials are explicitly not allowed under this mechanism.
Eligible applicant types
- Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
- Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
- Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- Independent school districts
- Private institutions of higher education
- City or township governments
- For profit organizations other than small businesses
- Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
- Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- County governments
- State governments
- Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)
- Special district governments
- Small businesses
- Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
Full description — from the agency
The Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study is the largest longitudinal study of brain development and child health collecting data from more than 11,000 children across the U.S. beginning when they are 9-10 years old and continuing for a decade. In addition to behavioral assessments, youth undergo neuroimaging and provide biospecimens, including saliva for hormone analysis, urine and hair for substance use and exposure, deciduous teeth for environmental exposure, and blood for genetic analysis and metabolic and hematologic assays. This initiative allows investigators to apply for access to biological samples from the ABCD Study. More information about the ABCD Study may be found on the ABCD Study website (www.abcdstudy.org). Information about this resource can be found on the NIDA funding opportunities page at https://nida.nih.gov/funding/nida-funding-opportunities/nih-brain-development-cohorts-biospecimen-access-program.
Topics: biospecimen access · adolescent brain development · longitudinal cohort · ABCD study · pediatric biobank · neuroimaging data · environmental exposure · developmental research
Public-source funding discovery only. This summary is generated from public agency data and may be incomplete or stale. NonDilute is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of any government agency. Official notices and agency instructions control. NonDilute does not determine eligibility, provide grant-writing advice, or guarantee funding.