Pasadena Plastic Surgery now serves as an official biobank collection site, expanding access to high-quality samples for research. Dr. Michael Schwartz is a board-certified facial plastic and cosmetic surgeon with more than 20 years of experience and extensive expertise in advanced liposuction techniques relative to Lipedema treatment. He was an early adopter of tumescent liposuction bringing valuable insight to tissue-based research. Surgical Coordinator Cristina Corral, and their team lead on-site collection of biological samples and clinical data from individuals who choose to participate. LF is excited to partner with a skilled and caring surgeon who is committed to advancing research, and was inspired by Cristina’s story of living with Lipedema and combining her patient experience with her career, as she has worked supporting patients undergoing Lipedema removal surgeries at Pasadena Plastic Surgery for 10 years and actively raises awareness by sharing her personal journey while helping bridge patient experience with research participation.
This partnership increases the availability of critical materials needed to study disease biology. The team collects samples and data from both affected and unaffected participants, including tissue that would otherwise be discarded during standard procedures. By preserving these materials, the site supports more comprehensive and comparative research.
One unexpected benefit of the collection day was greater insight into the appearance of the affected-adipose. Cristina showed LF staff a piece of excised skin and pointed out the Lipedema nodules directly. They were visible, tangible, and unmistakably distinct from healthy tissue. It is one thing to read about the physical markers of this disease – it is another to see them plainly in front of you.
“Patient-submitted samples like these are critical to research progress... direct analysis of affected tissues is essential to understand the local biological mechanisms driving the disease.”
During the first collection, the team secured several sample types:
Lipoaspirate
Punch biopsy samples
Adipose tissue
Stacey Heil, Associate Director of Biobank Management and Accrual explains that, “Patient-submitted samples like these are critical to research progress. While blood samples provide insight into systemic processes, direct analysis of affected tissues is essential to understand the local biological mechanisms driving the disease.”
Participants in the biobank also undergo a standardized research examination and provide detailed self-reported information regarding their symptoms, medical history, medications, quality of life, and more. It is the integration of high-quality biospecimens with comprehensive clinical data that makes this resource especially powerful for advancing the understanding of Lipedema.
Each sample contributes to a growing resource that supports scientific discovery. While some of these live, freshly excised tissue or lipoaspirate samples will be shared directly with approved, qualified researchers, some will also be stored in the Lipedema Foundation Biobank to have a resource for future partner researchers and projects.
This approach integrates sample collection into routine procedures, increasing participation and expanding the volume of usable data. The resulting dataset linking biology to real-life symptoms supports efforts to clarify disease biology and inform more effective treatments.