πŸ›οΈ Verified NIH Record β€’ Updated 2026-08-12

Sample Collection From Healthy Volunteers for Assay Optimization (NCT03538600)

🟒 Recruiting Interventional Protocol πŸ“Š Observational Clinical Research Sponsor: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)

🩺 Plain-English Summary (8th-Grade Level)

Background: The Laboratory of Immune System Biology (LISB) works with other labs at the National Institutes of Health. They study how parts of living things come together to make a whole. LISB designs and improves research tests on human samples like blood and cells. In order to do its work, LISB needs to have a lot of these samples available. Objective: To collect biological specimens to use for designing and improving research tests. Specimens include blood, stool, saliva, and skin/mucosal swabs. Eligibility: Healthy people ages 3-80 Design: Participants will be screened with an interview about their general health and their medical history. They will have a physical exam and blood tests. If the results of the screening are normal, participants will be asked to give one or more of these samples: Blood will be drawn from an arm vein with a needle and syringe. Mucus and skin will be collected by rubbing the area with a cotton swab. The areas may include the top of the tongue, inside the cheek, nostrils, behind the ear, elbow pit, or vagina. Participants will spit into a tube to collect saliva. Participants will pass stool into a plastic container that fits in the toilet under the seat. They will get sampling kits and instructions. Over the next 5 years, if more samples are needed, participants will be contacted to set up another visit to the NIH. These visits will each take about 1 hour. About every 2 years, when participants come to NIH for a visit, extra blood will be collected. It will be tested for HIV and hepatitis B and C.

Who can join: Review the eligibility criteria below.

Location: National Institutes of Health Clinical Center β€” Bethesda, Maryland

Age range: 3 Years to 80 Years

πŸ“‹ "Do I Qualify?" β€” 1-Minute Self Screener

Instant Checklist

Full eligibility criteria are available on the official NIH protocol. View the criteria β†—

πŸ“ All Participating Trial Locations (1 Sites)

  • National Institutes of Health Clinical Center β€” Bethesda, Maryland

πŸ“ž Contact the Study Coordinator

Phone: (240) 669-5323

Email: laura.failla@nih.gov

Coordinator details come directly from the registered NIH protocol. Confirm the study is still recruiting before traveling.

πŸ’° Cost, Insurance & Patient Rights

  • 100% Free Items: The investigational treatment and protocol-required procedures are supplied at zero cost by the sponsor.
  • Routine Patient Care: Under federal law (ACA Β§ 2709) and many state statutes, routine care costs are covered during participation.
  • Voluntary Participation: You may withdraw at any time without affecting your standard medical care.

πŸ’‘ How to Participate

  1. Check the checklist above to see if you may qualify.
  2. Contact the study coordinator using the phone/email above.
  3. Ask about the visit schedule, what is covered at no cost, and any travel support.
  4. Confirm with your own doctor before making a decision.
πŸ›οΈ View Official NIH Record β†—