Whole body donation plays a critical role in modern medicine, and in Arizona, that impact is growing. From training future physicians to refining surgical techniques and advancing research, donated bodies are essential to improving patient care.
When you donate a body to science in Arizona, United Tissue Network (UTN) matches donors with reputable medical research programs that are working on unlocking the mysteries of disease and developing new treatments to improve the science of care in Arizona.
Arizona’s Growing Commitment to Medical Research
Arizona has a large and growing medical research community, which receives $368 million in funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The University of Arizona is by far the largest recipient in the state, accounting for more than half of these grants. In total, more than $800 million flows into Arizona each year for studies.
In Phoenix alone, more than 200,000 people work in healthcare and bioscience. The Phoenix Bioscience Core is a 30-acre campus, hosting more than 450 tech and startup companies. The Mayo Clinic recently announced a $1.9billion investment into its Phoenix/Scottsdale Discovery Oasis campus to expand its biotechnology and medical research facilities.
Despite these investments, however, there continues to be a shortage of cadavers for research and testing. Simulations and models are becoming increasingly sophisticated, but they don’t fully replicate the variation and complexity of the human body, especially when it comes to understanding disease progression critical to scientific study.
How Donated Bodies Are Used in Medical Research
Medical advancements depend on real-world understanding of the human body. Here are just a few of the current research programs underway in our state that rely on human tissue for study:
- University of Arizona: Cellular and molecular research, brain tissue analysis, aging disorders
- Mayo Clinic Arizona: Various forms of cancer, biochemical mapping, neurodegenerative disease neuropathology, proteins, Parkinson’s
- Arizona State University: Neurodegenerative disease research, gut microbiome, autism, obesity
- Banner Sun Health Research Institute: Aging, Alzheimer’s, movement disorders
In all, there are hundreds of research projects and clinical trials that are underway throughout the state at any one time, covering a broad range of medical conditions and treatments. Many focus on specific life-saving treatments. For example, at the Phoenix Bioscience Core, researchers use donated tissue to develop personalized cancer vaccines that train a patient’s immune system to identify and destroy tumor cells.
Donated bodies are also used to validate genomic findings. Scientists use specimens to ensure that precision drugs tailored to a person’s DNA will work on physical human tissue before they are given to patients.
Human bodies are especially critical in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, which require the study of how proteins accumulate in the brain. So far, 3D models are unable to reproduce this data with the molecular accuracy needed for research.
How Donations Are Coordinated Across Arizona
United Tissue Network plays a key role in ensuring that each donation is used effectively. As the only nonprofit organization in Arizona that coordinates body donation, UTN works with a network of medical schools, research institutions, and training facilities. As such, UTN is able to match donors with programs where they are needed most.
If there isn’t a match locally, United Tissue Network works with a nationwide network of reputable medical institutions, allowing UTN to accept donated bodies that may not align with local research needs. So, when you donate a body to science in Arizona with United Tissue Network, you can rest assured that the body will be placed with the research or educational program where it will make the greatest impact.
A Meaningful Contribution to Future Care
Choosing to donate a body to science in Arizona is a decision that extends far beyond one individual. Each donation helps train future doctors, improve surgical techniques, and support research that can lead to new treatments. Your donation may be the key to improving the science of care in Arizona for future generations.
As a whole body donor with United Tissue Network, you also benefit from the elimination of cremation costs. Once you are accepted into the program, UTN pays 100% of the costs for transportation from the place of death, necessary paperwork and permits, placement with a reputable medical research or educational facility, cremation, and return of the cremated remains upon request. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, United Tissue Network pays for all these services. Families get free cremation, which can save thousands of dollars.
More importantly, families benefit from a greater sense of purpose and lasting impact. It is a way to contribute to something larger: advancing healthcare and helping others for years to come.
Start the registration process with United Tissue Network today, Arizona’s only accredited, nonprofit whole body donation organization.
