The Tissue Procurement Core Facility is designed as a central tissue acquisition and distribution facility which will provide tissues to all Program Project investigators. The purpose of this facility is to enable the efficient collection and use of tissues from patients undergoing surgery. The facility will combine under one umbrella, the patient contact and clinical evaluation aspects of tissue collection with the initial processing of tissues so that efforts are not duplicated by different investigators. Tissues for the Program Project will be obtained from reproductive tract organs of patients undergoing hysterectomy. The Core Facility will be responsible for identification and enrollment of patients. This function will include evaluating the appropriateness of clinical cases, overseeing informed consent, and providing the evaluation of tissue samples for endocrine condition and gross pathology. The second function of the Core Facility will be to coordinate tissue processing and distribution. This function will ensure that maximal use is made of available tissues by all investigators. The third function of this Core will include preparation of cell suspensions. Epithelial, immune cells and stromal cells will be prepared from the Fallopian tube, uterus, cervix, and vagina. In addition, Core B will be responsible for collating patient data on selected clinical parameters. This will enable investigators to evaluate hypotheses as they arise in the course of Program Project research. The Core Facility combines the expertise of its members which include a Core Director, Medical Coordinator, Microbiologist, Pathologist and Biostatistician. These individuals will provide consultation and support for all of the Core services. In addition, the Core will have the services of a Nurse Coordinator who will meet with patients, and two highly trained technicians who will participate in tissue dissection, fixation, and disruption. The biostatistical shared service at DHMC will provide consultation for the statistical evaluations to be made as part of this section.
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