Coriell Institute for Medical Research

What if a tiny, lab-grown brain could help unlock the secrets of autism? At Yale, Dr. Flora Vaccarino's team is using mini-brains made from patient stem cells to dive deep into the genetics of ASD. Their discoveries—like the crucial role of FOXG1—are possible thanks to partnerships like the one between Coriell and the FOXG1 Research Foundation. Together, we're building an incredible Biobank of patient samples, accelerating research, and bringing new hope to families affected by FOXG1 syndrome and autism.

Read more about this discovery on our blog ➡https://www.coriell.org/1/About-Us/Press-Room/Coriell-Blog/2026/07/29/Unlocking-the-Mysteries-of-FOXG1-Syndrome-From-Genetic-Discovery-to-Global-Research-Collaboration

Last week, some of Coriell's team attended the Skraban-Deardorff Syndrome (SKDEAS) family meeting at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Our team worked alongside phlebotomists to collect over 40 samples from affected individuals and their families, helping support SKDEAS research. Skraban-Deardorff syndrome is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by variants or microdeletions in the WDR26 gene. Thank you to the Skraban-Deardorff Syndrome Foundation and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia for having us.

Chediak-Higashi syndrome (CHS) is a rare recessive autosomal disorder that damages all body systems but particularly immune system cells, leaving them less able to fight off bacteria and viruses. CHS is characterized by abnormally light pigmentation of the skin, hair, and eyes, known as oculocutaneous albinism.

In 1996, researchers from Millennium Pharmaceuticals, led by Deborah L. Nagle, PhD, made a groundbreaking discovery in Chediak-Higashi syndrome. Through DNA isolation, they identified mutations that cause CHS and found that CHS may be heterogeneous, with multiple root causes rather than a single cause in all affected patients.

The same cell lines used in this study remain available today through Coriell's NIGMS biobank for other scientists to continue using to advance critical research.

To read more, check out our blog ➡

Coriell Blog Chediak Higashi syndrome (CHS) is a rare recessive autosomal disorder that damages all body systems but particularly immune system cells, leaving them less able to fight off bacteria and viruses. CHS is characterized by abnormally light pigmentation of the skin, hair, and eyes, known as oculocutaneo...

In 2010, a collaborative project between researchers from the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, the University of California, San Diego, and Penn State University investigated whether induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) could be utilized to study complex neurodevelopmental disorders, like autism spectrum disorder (ASD), to develop better targeted therapies.

By employing cell lines obtained from Coriell, the team successfully transformed skin cells, or fibroblasts, from patients with Rett syndrome (RTT), a genetic disorder that was formerly considered part of the autism spectrum, into iPSCs.

From these iPSCs, the researchers generated neurons to better understand their structure and function in individuals with RTT and, more broadly, ASD.

To learn more, check out our blog ➡

Coriell Blog In 2010, a collaborative project between researchers from the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, the University of California, San Diego, and Penn State University, investigated whether induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) could be utilized to study complex neurodevelopmental disorders, like a...

Happy birthday to Dr. Lewis Coriell, the incredible man and scientist whose name we proudly carry and whose work blazed a trail for us and for biomedical research! Best wishes to his family and loved ones.

Dr. Coriell's legacy lives on in South Jersey. Thank you to for recognizing the role he played in Camden's history.

South Jersey's most prominent people of the past 250 years, Part VI Discover more of the South Jersey figures who shaped the region's history — poets, a governor and a soup inventor.

From 1978 to 2002, Dr. Nancy Wexler led a Huntington's Disease research project in Venezuela’s Lake Maracaibo region. She and her team collected samples from families with a high risk for the disease. In her recent book, My Life, My Science: Pursuing a Cure for Huntington’s Disease, Dr. Wexler describes how they traced the disease back to one woman, Maria Conception, who lived there in the early 1800s.

The Coriell Institute has stored the samples Dr. Wexler collected in Venezuela in its Biobanks for more than 50 years. These blood samples have also helped researchers map genes linked to other diseases, such as familial Alzheimer's disease, kidney cancers, two types of neurofibromatosis, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), and others.

The Researcher Who Didn’t Want to Know Her decades of work on Huntington’s disease helped lead to the creation of a genetic test for the devastating condition. Why didn’t she take it herself?

Coriell is proud to continue to grow right here in Camden, a city of progress.

Camden’s mayor says investments in public safety, jobs and neighborhoods are making the city stronger The mayor spent more than 50 minutes highlighting the city’s record-low crime, neighborhood investments and workforce initiatives in his State of the City address.

Last week, Coriell welcomed Senator Andy Kim for a tour. His visit highlighted our growing biomedical research programs, our world-renowned biobank, and the Strategic Innovation Center and headquarters under development.

We are grateful for Senator Kim’s continued partnership and advocacy for our mission.

Last month, a group of Coriell employees volunteered to head over to Camden High School for a Career Day. Coriell scientists, Project Managers, Bioinformaticians, and Administrative Employees shared insights about their professions with groups of local students!

Thank you to all who volunteered!