Data & Specimens

How to Access Data & Specimens

SPECIMENS

In 2024, nearly all never-thawed CHS specimens were transferred to BioLINCC, the NHLBI biorepository. Specimens that had previously been thawed at least once were retained at the CHS Central Laboratory in Vermont. The tables below show the number of participants with specimens at each location, by specimen type.

CHS Specimens sent to BioLINCC (all are never-thawed)

Values reflect the number of participants with at least one specimen. This is the starting inventory and is not updated over time.

CHS Specimens Remaining at Vermont Central laboratory

Values reflect the number of participants with at least one specimen. All specimens have been thawed at least one, except for SCAT, whose frequencies include thawed and unthawed vials.

There are now 2 separate processes for accessing specimens, depending on where the specimens are stored. Investigators who may need to request specimens/data from both sources should contact the Coordinating Center for guidance.

Requesting specimens from BioLINCC

CHS Specimens and data are expected to be available from BioLINCC starting March 2026. The process to request specimens and data from BioLINCC is completely independent of CHS. The first step is to register a BioLINCC account. The BioLINCC biospecimen and data request process and requirements are outlined in Chapter 3 of the BioLINCC Handbook: https://biolincc.nhlbi.nih.gov/media/guidelines/handbook.pdf.

Requesting specimens from CHS

Investigators who wish to access CHS specimens stored at the Central Laboratory need an approved Ancillary Study Proposal. Please see the CHS Data & Specimen Distribution Policy, the Biospecimen Policy, and the Ancillary Studies page.

DATA

Investigators who wish to access data only may request datasets through CHS, BioLINCC, or dbGaP (genetic and other omics data). Note that the public-access CHS datasets obtained from the data repositories are heavily redacted and do not include participants who declined to have their data shared publicly. While CHS data can be obtained from BioLINCC and dbGaP and used without involvement of CHS investigators, we strongly encourage researchers interested in our data to contact us regarding collaboration. If external funding is being obtained, the project qualifies as an ancillary study and investigators should follow instructions on the Ancillary Studies page. If no external funding is being sought, refer to the  CHS Data & Specimen Distribution Policy

For information on what data are available in CHS, visit the Data Documentation page.

Questions?  Contact Us

Related Links:

• Specimens Collected by Visit Year
• Working Groups
• Publications Policy