American Association of Tissue Banks

What American Association of Tissue Banks does

The Association for Advancing Tissue and Biologics (AATB, formerly the American Association of Tissue Banks) is a Virginia-incorporated non-profit professional association founded in 1976 and rebranded in 2026 in connection with its 50th anniversary. Its core mission is to promote the safety, quality, and availability of donated human tissue worldwide, and the organization operates as the only institutional accreditation body for tissue establishments globally and the sole provider of the Certified Tissue Bank Specialist (CTBS) professional certification. It maintains the proprietary AATB Standards for Tissue Banking, which serve as the industry's de facto quality framework and are referenced as the recommended baseline for all human tissue recovery.

AATB's product portfolio spans three pillars: (1) Institutional Accreditation for tissue establishments, (2) the CTBS certification program and CTBS Review Course (15 CEUs, $475-$975 pricing band), and (3) educational and community programming including over 30 annual live webinars, publication-based CE activities, the Tissue Connection podcast, and the annual AATB Congress flagship event. Distribution is direct-to-customer through the AATB website, member portal, and online Learning Center, supplemented by in-person events at convention venues. Customer segments include accredited tissue establishments (120+ worldwide), Affiliate member companies across the tissue banking supply chain (Medline, Eurofins, Canadian Blood Services, BioBridge Global, Induce Biologics, DonorIQ, and others), and individual tissue banking professionals.

The association's revenue model is diversified across subscription-style membership dues (Institutional Accreditation, Affiliate, and Individual tiers), one-time CTBS exam and review course fees, accreditation renewal fees, pay-per-webinar and annual webinar subscriptions, and conference registration plus exhibit booth rentals. With a staff of 11-50 based in Washington, DC, AATB operates a lean association model with global membership reach and restricted service to a small list of sanctioned geographies. The 2026 rebrand to include "Biologics" and Congress 26 in San Francisco indicate an explicit strategy to broaden the association's domain authority from tissue banking into adjacent biologics categories.

Name

American Association of Tissue Banks

Legal name

Association for Advancing Tissue and Biologics

Website

https://aatb.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tissue Banking Accreditation and Standards

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)

akta.pro primary industry

Standards, Metrology & Accreditation Bodies (BPAIAOAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Continuing Education (CE/CPD) & Provider Accreditation Bodies (EDADACAF)

Keywords

• Tissue banking accreditation
• Professional certification programs
• Healthcare standards development
• Continuing medical education
• Nonprofit medical association

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees from Institutional, Affiliate, and Individual members. Institutional Accreditation members are tissue establishments committed to quality and safety. Affiliate members are companies sharing AATB's vision. Individual members are professionals involved in tissue banking.
2. CTBS Certification Fees: Revenue from the Certified Tissue Bank Specialist exam registration ($675 member/$975 non-member for 2026 exam) and the CTBS Review Course ($475 member/$775 non-member, free for exam registrants).
3. Conference and Event Revenue: Registration fees for AATB Congress annual meetings (AATB Congress 26: $1,395-$1,595 for full conference, $395-$495 for single-day), exhibit booth rentals, and sponsorship opportunities.
4. Webinar and Education Programs: Revenue from individual webinar purchases, annual webinar series subscriptions (group and individual), and publication-based CE activities. Single webinars range from $15-$150 depending on topic.
5. Accreditation Fees: Fees associated with the institutional accreditation program for tissue establishments, including initial accreditation and renewal processes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

AATB provides the only institutional accreditation program for tissue establishments worldwide, certifying tissue banks that meet its standards for safety and quality. It is also the sole provider of the Certified Tissue Bank Specialist (CTBS) professional certification, and develops the proprietary AATB Standards for Tissue Banking covering donor screening, recovery, processing, storage, and distribution. Its offerings are supplemented by an annual Congress, a webinar series, and the AATB Learning Center continuing education platform.

Product overview

The Association for Advancing Tissue and Biologics (AATB) is a non-profit professional association, not a software product company. Its offerings consist of accreditation programs, professional certification, educational programming, industry standards, and annual conferences. The core offerings include Institutional Accreditation for tissue establishments, the Certified Tissue Bank Specialist (CTBS) Certification program (with associated CTBS Review Course), Standards for Tissue Banking, the AATB Webinar Series (with over 30 live programs annually), Publication-Based CE Activities, AATB Congress annual events, The Tissue Connection podcast, and an Accredited Establishment Search directory. These are supplemented by various membership tiers (Institutional, Affiliate, Individual) and communications like the AATB NewsBrief weekly newsletter.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Certified Tissue Bank Specialist (CTBS): Professional certification program for tissue banking professionals
• The Tissue Connection
• AATB Congress
• AATB Learning Center
• AATB NewsBrief

Products and services

• Institutional Accreditation The sole accreditation program for tissue establishments worldwide, recognizing commitment to quality and safety of donated human tissue. Aimed at tissue banks and tissue establishments that recover, process, store, and distribute donated human tissue.
• Certified Tissue Bank Specialist (CTBS) Certification The only professional designation specifically for the tissue banking community, signifying knowledge of fundamental principles and AATB Standards. Validates expertise in tissue recovery, processing, distribution, and related services. Exam dates: October 1-31, 2026; Member $675, Non-Member $975.
• CTBS Review Course Self-paced exam preparation course offering 15 hours of comprehensive tissue banking content covering Quality, Donor Screening, Recovery and Acquisition, Tissue Processing, and Tissue Distribution. Includes video lectures, handouts, practice tests, and live Q&A sessions. Member $475, Non-Member $775.
• AATB Webinar Series Annual online education program offering over 30 live 60-minute webinars per year on pressing topics in tissue banking. Includes subscription options for groups and individuals, single session purchases, and free webinars with CE credits.
• Publication-Based CE Activity Enduring activity where learners read publications related to tissue banking and complete post-test quizzes to earn CTBS and CEBT credits. Each activity takes approximately 1 hour and awards 1 CEU. Member: Free; Non-Member: $20.
• AATB Congress 26 Flagship annual in-person meeting bringing together leaders, practitioners, researchers, regulators, and industry partners for education, collaboration, and networking. Features educational sessions, emerging research presentations, and exhibition opportunities.
• Standards for Tissue Banking AATB's comprehensive standards documentation providing regulatory guidance and best practices for tissue banking operations, quality systems, donor screening, tissue recovery, processing, storage, and distribution.
• Affiliate Membership Membership category open to any company or organization that shares AATB's vision but is not eligible for accreditation. Includes industry supply chain partners like tissue processors, medical device suppliers, testing labs, and technology providers.
• Individual Membership Membership category open to individuals involved or interested in the banking of cells, organs, eyes, or tissues who support AATB's objectives, policies, and ethical standards. Includes tissue banking professionals seeking CTBS certification and continuing education.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 120 tissue establishments worldwide are AATB accredited, representing a significant portion of the tissue banking industry
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Donate Life AmericacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerDonate Life America is a Proud Partner of AATB. Donate Life is a registered trademark of Donate Life America. This partnership supports AATB's mission of promoting organ and tissue donation awareness.
• BioBridge GlobalminorOthersAffiliate member of AATB, sharing AATB's vision for safe, ethical, and respectful tissue banking practices.
• Canadian Blood ServicesminorOthersAffiliate member of AATB, sharing AATB's vision for safe, ethical, and respectful tissue banking practices.
• DonorIQminorOthersAffiliate member providing AI solutions for donor screening and referral management. Sponsor of AATB webinars on AI in donation.
• Eurofins Donor & Product TestingminorOthersAffiliate member of AATB providing donor and product testing services to the tissue banking industry.
• InvitaminorOthersAffiliate member of AATB, sharing AATB's vision for safe, ethical, and respectful tissue banking practices.
• MedlineminorOthersAffiliate member of AATB, sharing AATB's vision for safe, ethical, and respectful tissue banking practices.
• Induce Biologics USA Inc.minorOthersAffiliate member of AATB, sharing AATB's vision for safe, ethical, and respectful tissue banking practices.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• College of American Pathologists (CAP): CAP is a much larger, broader laboratory accreditation body whose programs overlap with tissue establishment lab testing requirements (e.g., Eurofins, an AATB affiliate, is also CAP-accredited). Relevant incumbent in the laboratory-accreditation space adjacent to AATB.
• The Joint Commission: The Joint Commission accredits thousands of U.S. healthcare organizations, including hospitals that perform tissue recovery and transplantation. A broad incumbent whose accreditation footprint occasionally intersects with AATB's institutional members.

Direct peers

• ICCBBA: ICCBBA maintains the ISBT 128 international standard for identification of cellular therapy products, blood components, and tissues. Comparable as a global standards-setting authority for biological products, complementing rather than competing with AATB.
• Eye Bank Association of America (EBAA): EBAA accredits eye banks and certifies eye banking technicians using a structure nearly identical to AATB's tissue establishment accreditation and CTBS certification. Operates as a peer trade association in a tissue sub-segment.
• AABB (Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies): AABB is the closest direct peer: a non-profit standards, accreditation, and certification body for blood banks and biotherapies, mirroring AATB's role in tissue banking. Both operate institutional accreditation programs, professional certifications, and annual congresses in adjacent biological-product domains.
• United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS): UNOS is the federally contracted organization that manages the U.S. organ transplant system. Comparable as a quasi-regulatory authority for transplantation, with overlapping member institutions (e.g., OPOs that also recover tissue) and a similar standards-driven operating model.
• Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT): FACT accredits cellular therapy programs (bone marrow transplantation, cord blood, regenerative medicine) and is increasingly relevant given AATB's biologics rebrand. Same accreditation-and-standards model in a closely adjacent cell-and-tissue therapy category.
• American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics (ASHI): ASHI accredits histocompatibility laboratories supporting transplantation and certifies laboratory professionals (CHS, CHT). Closely comparable as an accreditation + certification body serving the transplantation ecosystem.

Emerging players

• American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS): ASTS is a professional society for transplant surgeons with overlapping member interests in tissue and organ recovery. Comparable as a professional membership and continuing education body serving transplant professionals, though not an accreditation body.

Others

• American Association of Tissue Banks — NA (note: same organization, international chapter reference not applicable): European Association of Tissue Banks (EATB) is a regional peer association supporting tissue banking professionals in Europe, comparable to AATB in mission and member composition but operating in a different regulatory geography.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/american-association-of-tissue-banks
• Xx.com/TheAATB

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about American Association of Tissue Banks