From: blewis@helix.nih.gov (barbara lewis)
Subject: Hybridoma Data Bank
Organization: National Institutes of Health, Bethesda
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 16:24:37 GMT

                      Hybridoma Data Bank

     In 1983, The Committee on Data for Science and Technology (CODATA),
and the International Union of Immunological Societies (IUIS) established 
an international Hybridoma Data Bank (HDB) to provide a comprehensive 
directory of information on hybridomas and other cloned cell lines and 
their immunoreactive products, such as Mabs.  Data for this resource 
are collected by multiple Nodes, or data collection and dissemination 
centers, located in the U.S., Canada, Japan, and India.  The U.S. Node 
is managed by the Bioinformatics Department of The American Type Culture 
Collection and is funded by the National Institute of Allergy and 
Infectious Diseases (NIAID), the National Institute of Child Health 
and Human Development (NICHD) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).  
ATCC is responsible for collection and dissemination of data contained 
in this resource.  The overall HDB is monitored by a CODATA appointed 
Task Group of immunologists and computer scientists who meet yearly with 
the Node Managers to certify the scientific validity of the data.  All of 
the HDB Nodes use standardized format and terminology to store and exchange 
data.  

     HDB maintains a controlled hierarchical list of terms which cover 
virtually all of the subdisciplines of biology and organic chemistry.  
Mabs can be generated that react with specific epitopes on molecules 
comprising the organic structure of all types of organisms.  These 
molecules and their biological origins are described in the database.  
The terminology used to describe the reactivity of Mabs covers the 
taxonomy of each genus, species, and strain of organism, as well as 
the cells, subcellular structures, organs, tissues, and biochemical 
substances and their components that were derived from these organisms.  
HDB records contributed by each collecting center are subjected to 
stringent validation procedures to insure that the biological terminology
is consistent and that it follows guidelines set by nomenclature 
standardization committees of the International Council of Scientific
Unions' Biological Unions (e.g., International Union of Biochemistry, 
International Union of Microbiological Societies, International Union of
Immunology, etc.) whenever possible.

     The HDB now contains data on over 28,000 immunoclones and their
products.  HDB has been designed in a highly structured format and is 
housed on the NIH computer using the relational database management 
system, DB2.  Reports can be generated from this system that are specific 
for users' requirements.  During 1993 we will be converting the HDB to a
SUN/Unix/Sybase environment and hope to have it available for direct user
query via the Internet.  Until that time we will be happy to process queries
and forward retrievals to requestors via email, Fax, or regular mail.  The
database is also online via several commercial hosts.

     HDB holds data on various aspects of hybridomas and their immunoreactive 
products.  Information on a hybridoma's construction and the reactivity and 
non-reactivity of its secreted product is included.  In addition, information 
on the availability of an individual hybridoma and its Mab product are 
included. Information in the HDB is derived from literature, catalogs and 
survey forms.

     For further information contact:         Barbara Lewis                 
                                              Hybridoma Data Bank                            
                                              blewis@helix.nih.gov