Biomedical Research Institute

What Biomedical Research Institute does

The Biomedical Research Institute (BRI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit research organization founded in 1984 and headquartered in Rockville, Maryland, with a mission to reduce the global health burden of infectious diseases, particularly schistosomiasis. BRI operates two core service lines. First, the Schistosomiasis Resource Center (SRC), established in 1995 under NIH-NIAID funding, maintains the life cycles of three major Schistosoma species (S. haematobium, S. japonicum, S. mansoni) and distributes infected snail vectors, infected rodent hosts, frozen and viable parasite specimens, the Bge embryonic cell line, and over 200 molecular reagents free of charge to academic, government, and commercial laboratories globally through BEI Resources and direct SRC distribution. Second, the Biorepository Services division leverages nearly 70 years of cryobiology heritage (originating in pioneering work on cryopreservation of bovine semen and human blood products) to provide CAP-accredited, 24/7-monitored low-temperature storage of PBMC, plasma, serum, tissues, and other biospecimens at temperatures from 4°C to -196°C in a 20,000 ft2 facility.

BRI's revenue model combines NIH/NIAID grant funding underwriting the SRC's free reagent distribution, quote-based managed-service fees for commercial biorepository storage, and modest training course revenue ($300 per attendee for a twice-yearly Schistosomiasis Life Cycle Training Course). The customer base spans academic researchers, government laboratories, biotech and pharmaceutical companies, and medical institutions. GTM motion is sales-led for both SRC reagent distribution (via BEI catalog registration and direct PI contact) and Biorepository Services (quote requests, relationship-based outreach, custom solutions). Distribution is direct from Rockville, MD, supplemented by BEI Resources catalog fulfillment and international shipping with import-permit support. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors comprising academic researchers, biotech executives, and nonprofit sector leaders, with dual Executive Director/CFO and Executive Director/CSO leadership.

Operationally, BRI holds CAP accreditation (since 2018), GCLP compliance training, and annual IATA dangerous-goods certification, enabling regulated clinical specimen handling. Auxiliary offerings include Turn-Key Biorepository Solutions for client-owned equipment hosting and a published library of Standard Operating Procedures for Schistosoma life-cycle maintenance. No acquisitions, funding rounds, or AI capabilities are disclosed; growth signals are confined to incremental product surface expansion within the existing facility footprint.

Name

Biomedical Research Institute

Legal name

Biomedical Research Institute

Website

https://afbr-bri.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Biomedical Research Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating a NIAID-funded Schistosomiasis Resource Center that distributes parasitic disease reagents free to researchers globally, alongside a CAP-accredited cryopreservation biorepository serving biotech, pharma, and academic clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Biorepository Services

NAICS

Refrigerated Warehousing and Storage (493120)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Cold Chain, Cryopreservation & Biologics Storage/Handling Technologies (HLAAAJAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Biologics, Vaccines & Ultra-Low Temperature (ULT) Storage (TLALABAG), Medical & Clinical Specimen Frozen Storage (Labs, Biobanks) (TLALACAE), Cold Chain Storage & Cryopreservation Services (LN2/Ultra-low) (HLAGAGAK), Pharmaceutical & Biologics Frozen Storage (Ultra-Low/Deep-Freeze) (TLALACAD), Sample Logistics, Biorepository & IVD Kit Management (Trial Support) (HLAGAEAI), Sample Preparation, Storage & Cryogenics (Freezers, Cryovials, Cryostats) (HLAGAIAJ)

Keywords

• Biorepository services
• Cryopreservation services
• Biospecimen storage
• Infectious disease research
• Schistosomiasis reagents

Headquarters

HQ city

Rockville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. NIH/NIAID Research Funding: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, BRI receives financial support from the National Institutes of Health, specifically the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), to operate the Schistosomiasis Resource Center and conduct infectious disease research.
2. Biorepository Services: Provides custom biorepository services to companies, medical institutions, and academic and government laboratories for low-temperature storage of biological specimens. Services are quote-based and tailored to client needs.
3. Free Research Reagent Distribution: Schistosomiasis research reagents (infected mammals, intermediate hosts, Bge cells, molecular reagents) are provided free of charge to registered investigators. This is funded through NIH support rather than direct revenue generation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

BRI provides CAP-accredited low-temperature biorepository/cryopreservation storage of biological specimens (PBMC, plasma, serum, tissues, body fluids) for companies, medical institutions, and academic/government laboratories. It also operates the NIH-NIAID-funded Schistosomiasis Resource Center (SRC), which supplies schistosomiasis research reagents (infected snails, rodents, parasites, molecular reagents, Bge cells) free of charge to researchers worldwide, alongside a paid life cycle training course.

Product overview

The Biomedical Research Institute operates two core service lines: (1) the Schistosomiasis Resource Center (SRC), a NIAID-funded laboratory established in 1995 that provides schistosomiasis research reagents including infected/unexposed snail hosts, parasite specimens across three major Schistosoma species, molecular reagents, and the Bge embryonic cell line—all distributed free of charge to researchers; and (2) Biorepository Services, a CAP-accredited facility offering secure, long-term cryopreservation of biospecimens (PBMC, plasma, serum, tissues, body fluids) at temperatures ranging from 4°C to -196°C, available as standard storage or turn-key solutions. The institute also offers a paid Schistosomiasis Life Cycle Training Course and publishes Standard Operating Procedures for laboratory protocols.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Schistosomiasis Resource Center (SRC): NIH-NIAID funded production and supply laboratory providing schistosomiasis research reagents free of charge to scientists and students in the U.S. and international research community

Products and services

• Schistosomiasis Resource Center (SRC) NIH-NIAID-supported production and supply laboratory that provides schistosomiasis research reagents (infected snails, rodents, frozen and viable parasite specimens, molecular reagents) free of charge to scientists and students in the U.S. and international research community.
• Biorepository Services CAP-accredited low-temperature cold-storage facility offering cryopreservation and storage of biological specimens including peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), plasma, serum, tissues, and other body fluids, with 20,000 ft2 of storage space and 24/7 monitoring.
• Turn-Key Biorepository Solutions Custom biobanking solutions offering flexible and scalable storage space including BRI-owned freezers and LN2 tanks as well as on-site storage of client-owned equipment, with 24/7 temperature monitoring and emergency contingency planning.
• Snail Reagents Unexposed (naive) snail intermediate hosts including Biomphalaria glabrata (NMRI, M-line and BS-90 strains), Bulinus truncatus truncatus (Egyptian strain), Bulinus wrighti (Oman), Oncomelania hupensis hupensis (Chinese strain), and Oncomelania hupensis quadrasi (Philippine strain).
• Parasite Reagents Schistosoma parasite specimens including S. haematobium (Egyptian), S. japonicum (Philippine and Chinese strains), and multiple S. mansoni lines including praziquantel-resistant and oxamniquine-resistant strains, available as exposed snails or exposed mammals.
• Molecular Reagents Genetic materials from various stages of parasites or snail hosts including genomic DNA, cDNA, total RNA, polyA RNA, mRNA, full length cDNA libraries from susceptible and resistant snails, specific gene constructs from schistosome stages, and primers for S. mansoni and B. glabrata.
• Biomphalaria glabrata embryonic cell (Bge) line Embryonic cell line derived from Biomphalaria glabrata snails used for schistosomiasis research, available as cell cultures shipped in 50 mL flasks.
• Schistosomiasis Life Cycle Training Course 2.5-day training course offered twice yearly covering maintenance of three Schistosoma spp. life cycles (S. haematobium, S. japonicum, S. mansoni), with lectures and wet-lab exercises on snail cultivation, parasite exposure, cercariae collection, schistosomula generation, rodent infection protocols, and adult worm/egg collection; course fee is $300.00 USD.
• Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) Published laboratory protocols for maintaining Schistosoma spp. life cycles, snail host cultivation, parasite collection, animal infection, and molecular techniques, available as downloadable PDFs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Provides reagents to scientists and students throughout the U.S. and international research community
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BEI ResourcescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBEI Resources distributes molecular reagents from the Schistosomiasis Resource Center through their online catalog. Investigators register at beiresources.org to receive materials. BEI Resources also helps determine import documentation required for international shipments.
• World Health Organization - Tropical Disease Research (WHO-TDR)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWHO-TDR is listed as a resource link for schistosomiasis researchers, indicating collaborative information sharing within the global health research community.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDC is listed as a resource link for researchers, indicating collaborative information sharing for parasitic infection research.
• American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerASTMH is listed as a professional resource for schistosomiasis researchers, providing networking and knowledge sharing opportunities.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Cord Blood Registry (CBR): CBR operates a large-scale commercial cryopreservation facility for cord blood and tissue specimens under long-term storage contracts. Comparable to BRI on cryopreservation service model, customer relationship type, and CAP-style quality standards for long-term biological specimen storage.
• ATCC (American Type Culture Collection): ATCC is a global nonprofit biological resource center that authenticates, stores, and distributes cell lines, microbial cultures, and biomaterials to the research community. Closely comparable to BRI's SRC distribution function — particularly the Bge embryonic cell line and molecular reagents — with an analogous nonprofit catalog-distribution model (similar in spirit to BEI Resources).
• BioIVT: BioIVT is a specialty provider of human biospecimens — including cryopreserved PBMC, plasma, serum, and tissues — to pharma and diagnostics developers. Closely comparable to BRI's commercial biorepository and specimen storage services for clinical-grade biological materials.
• BEI Resources (NIAID-managed): BEI Resources is the NIAID-funded reagent repository that distributes BRI's molecular reagents through its online catalog. It is both a channel partner and a functional peer in distributing infectious-disease research materials to the global scientific community under NIH sponsorship.

Broad incumbents

• Azenta Life Sciences (formerly Brooks Life Sciences): Azenta is a large, publicly traded sample storage, biorepository, and cold-chain logistics provider serving pharma, biotech, and clinical research customers globally. Direct competitor to BRI's commercial biorepository services, but with a much broader multi-site global footprint and integrated sample management software.
• Thermo Fisher Scientific (Biobanking & Cryopreservation): Through its BioProduction and bioservices businesses (including the Patheon/Cell & Gene Therapy footprint), Thermo Fisher offers commercial biorepository, cryopreservation, and biobanking services at scale. Comparable to BRI in tiered cold storage (-80°C, LN2) but vastly larger and operating across pharma services globally.
• Charles River Laboratories (Cryopreservation & Biobanking): Charles River offers end-to-end preclinical and clinical research services including biospecimen storage, cryopreservation, and cell banking. Comparable to BRI on the commercial biorepository side, with a much broader CRO/CDMO portfolio spanning safety, manufacturing, and research models.
• Lonza Bioscience Solutions (Cell Banking & Cryopreservation): Lonza provides commercial cell banking, cryopreservation, and biobanking services for biopharma, including master/working cell banks stored at ultra-low temperatures. Directly comparable to BRI's PBMC, serum, and tissue cryopreservation capabilities but at much larger scale and global reach.

Emerging players

• Inotiv (formerly Envigo/Harlan): Inotiv provides research models and related biological materials and services to life sciences customers. Overlapping with BRI's SRC function in supplying defined biological materials (including parasitology-adjacent research models) to academic and commercial research laboratories.

Regional players

• WuXi AppTec (Bioanalytical & Biorepository): WuXi AppTec operates global biopharma R&D and bioanalytical services including biorepository and sample storage capabilities, primarily serving the China/Asia-Pacific market. Comparable to BRI on commercial cryopreservation services but with a different geographic focus and far broader service portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BRI_SRC

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Biomedical Research Institute