How Can We Help?

NexGen is a donor recruitment program, operated by Gift of Life Biologics, that identifies and qualifies healthy volunteers whose blood or blood-derived cells may be collected for research use, supporting studies of cell-based therapies and future treatments.

Use the Donate Cells button anywhere on this site. Registration includes a welcome step, consent, an initial health history, and your contact information.

Our team reviews your registration and follows up with next steps, that will include a more detailed Health Questionnaire and scheduling a screening visit.

In general, NexGen looks for donors who are: between 18 and 40 years old; living in South Florida (between Miami and Jupiter); and willing to donate white blood cells or blood stem cells to support research. See the full eligibility guidelines on our homepage. Final eligibility is confirmed through health history review and a physical exam.

Not necessarily — your safety is our #1 priority, and it depends on the condition. Our team reviews each donor’s health history individually.

No. If you are currently registered as a potential donor in the Gift of Life Marrow Registry and you now register for the NexGen program, you will be removed from the Registry, as you can only be registered in one program at any given time.

Whether you’re donating white blood cells or stem cells, you are going to be connected to a cell separating machine. During your donation, needles with tubes will be placed in both of your arms. One tube withdraws the blood into the machine, which collects your white blood cells or stem cells, and your blood is then returned to you through the second tube in your other arm.

Not necessarily. Not every donor will be eligible for every type of collection, and the exact steps, screening, and time commitment can vary. Our team reviews your eligibility and explains your specific process before you decide to move forward.

The collection visit itself typically takes about 4–6 hours, and you’re awake and seated the whole time in a comfy recliner — most donors relax, read, watch a variety of streaming services or simply take a nap. Earlier steps (the online health history questionnaire and physical exam) are shorter and scheduled separately. Our team will walk you through the exact time commitment for your specific collection type before you schedule.

You can donate white blood cells every 8 weeks, up to 6 times per year, with no lifetime maximum. You can donate stem cells every three months and three times in a lifetime.

Donations take place at our collection center. Exact location details are shared during scheduling.

After you register, our team reviews your health history and schedules a screening visit, which includes a physical exam. Screening confirms whether you may qualify and what your next steps look like. Start registration to begin the process.

For most healthy adults, yes. Every donor completes an online health history questionnaire and an in-person physical exam before being cleared to donate, so only donors who are medically ready to proceed actually do. The methods NexGen uses are the same well-established collection methods used in blood, platelet, and plasma donation every day — there is no surgery, sedation, or hospital stay involved for either white blood cell or stem cell donation. Some donors experience mild, temporary effects: brief lightheadedness or a small bruise at the needle site after collection, or (for stem cell donors) bone or muscle soreness, headache, or fatigue from the pre-donation injections, which typically resolve within a day or two. Your safety is our priority. If anything in your health history raises concern during screening, our experienced medical team will let you know — and determine whether donation is possible.

A member of our clinical team reviews your health history in detail and performs a brief physical exam — checking things like blood pressure, pulse, and general health — to confirm you’re able to safely donate. It’s provided at no cost and is separate from your donation visit, so you’ll know where things stand before any collection is scheduled.

Confidentially. Your information, including health history, is collected and stored through our secure donor registration system and handled according to our Privacy Policy and applicable regulations.

No. Health history and personal information are used only for eligibility screening and program administration, consistent with our Privacy Policy.

Qualified donors may be compensated for their time depending on the specific research study, collection type, and program requirements. Compensation, if applicable, is reviewed before participation so donors understand the expectations before making a decision.

Compensation is provided at each step of the process: $25 for the Health History Questionnaire, $50 for the Physical Exam, $50 for Additional Blood Work (pre-collects and IDMs), $250 for a White Blood Cell donation, and $400 for a Stem Cell donation. Amounts shown are estimates and may vary — final compensation is confirmed during registration.

Not necessarily. Compensation, if applicable, can vary depending on the research study, the collection type, and program requirements. Your NexGen team will review the specifics that apply to you before you participate.

Screening visits may be compensated depending on the program and collection type. This will be reviewed with you ahead of your visit, so you know what to expect before you go.

Depending on the program, certain donor-related expenses may be covered. The specifics that apply to your situation are reviewed with you individually before you participate.

Compensation details, if applicable, are reviewed with you during registration and screening — before you’re asked to make any decision about participating.

Timing depends on the specific research study and collection type. Your NexGen team will explain the timing that applies to you during your review, before you participate.

Donated cells are provided to research organizations studying cell-based therapies for cancer and other serious conditions.

NexGen donors may help support studies in areas such as cancer, immunology, childhood cancers, and cell therapy. Donated cells help researchers study disease and explore approaches that may inform future treatments — no individual donation guarantees a specific outcome.