Cord Blood

YOU HAVE A CHOICE

The New Jersey Cord Blood Bank (NJCBB)

Our public banking program

Click here for participating hospitals

The Elie Katz Umbilical Cord Blood Program

Our family banking program

Call 1 866 SAVCORD (728-2673) for more information

Cord Blood Program

The umbilical cord blood program was established in 1996 to meet the needs of a growing population of cancer patients who became candidates for stem cell transplants after their stem cells were damaged or destroyed during aggressive treatment for cancer or other diseases. Cord blood stem cells are currently being used to treat more than 70 diseases, and may be the treatment of choice in the near future for such diseases as diabetes, heart disease, breast cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, as well as spinal cord injuries and many other serious diseases.

Parents delivering at participating hospitals can arrange for the safe and painless collection of their babies’ umbilical cord blood, which is a rich source of stem cells, after their babies are born. Parents can donate their babies’ cord blood to the NJCBB for use by any child or adult in the U.S. and throughout the world with a life-threatening disease. Stem cell transplants are being used in the treatment of leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease, sickle cell anemia, cerebral palsy, aplastic anemia and various other cancers, blood diseases, hereditary conditions and immune system disorders. In the future, stem cells may be used to fight heart disease, breast cancer, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, AIDS, and a score of other genetic diseases.

Umbilical cord blood may also be saved for future use if needed by that particular child, a sibling or a parent through the family banking program, the Elie Katz Umbilical Cord Blood Program (EKUCBP). Collections are accepted from most regional hospitals. Expectant parents who want further information about the family banking program should call 1 866 SAVCORD (728-2673).

Our Laboratory

As one of the few banks designated to process and store umbilical cord blood for both public and private use, Community Blood Services maintains high industry standards. Its rigorous quality control standards are assessed and confirmed by regulatory agencies such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the AABB (formerly known as American Association of Blood Banks), and state health offices. Community Blood Services is a member of National Cord Blood Inventory (NCBI) the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP); accredited by AABB and the American Society of Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics (ASHI); registered with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA); and licensed by New Jersey, New York, Maryland, and California State.

Our Laboratory Expertise

A staff of highly experienced health professionals and technicians, working under the guidance and expertise of Community Blood Services Scientific/Medical Advisory Panel of industry leaders, physicians, researchers, and parent advocates, offers both technical skill and unparalleled leadership. This unique combination of talents ensures that our laboratory remains on the cutting-edge of new cord blood advances, while it guarantees the safety, integrity, and viability of your client’s baby’s cord blood unit.

Our Processing

Processing of Umbilical Cord Blood (UCB) units at Community Blood Services ensures that your baby’s cells are rapidly and precisely extracted from the cord blood unit, and that they remain healthy and contamination-free. Following collection at time of delivery, your baby’s cord blood unit is immediately shipped under highly controlled conditions to Community Blood Services’ cord blood laboratory, which is equipped with the most advanced processing and storage technologies. The cord blood’s stem cells are processed the same day your baby’s unit is received in our laboratory. Samples are tested for cell viability, total nucleated cell count (TNC), sterility, infectious disease markers, number of stem cells, and blood type.

Family banked (private use) UCB units are processed via the manual advanced separation method.  Occasionally, family banked units may be collected below or above optimal volume. Although the manual process is more labor intensive, the chief advantage is that better cell recovery results have been found during manual processing tests.

Publicly banked UCB units are processed using the automated Sepax cell processing system. Sepax Cell processing technology has received 510K clearance by the US Food and Drug Administration.

As one of the few banks designated to process and store umbilical cord blood for both public and private use, Community Blood Services maintains high industry standards. All processing and testing is performed following rigorous quality control standards set by state and federal regulatory agencies.

Our Freezing and Storage

Maintaining the viability and health of your baby’s stem cells throughout processing requires careful lowering of the temperature prior to freezing and storage. Our laboratory’s state-of-the-art automated mixing and cooling device, Coolmix, offers a controlled freezing process that ensures the cell’s integrity and future viability. Once the stem cells are brought to the optimum temperature, they are placed in a storage cartridge and then into a storage tank. You can be assured your baby’s cord blood unit will be kept at the correct temperature at all times thanks to our back-up generators and battery system. Public and private family units are stored separately in freezers located in specifically designated storage areas.

Our Reports

Detailed reports are provided throughout the processing and testing of your baby’s cord blood unit. These include a receipt report, a processing report and a final report that details all of the pertinent information regarding the stored unit.

Click here to display our Scientific/Medical Advisory Panel.

Click here to display the Parent’s Guide to Cord Blood website.

For more information on how to obtain your cord blood collector training and certification from Community Blood Services Click here.