This Core will serve as a central facility to collect and process blood for serum and lymphocytes, and tumor tissues for initiation of tissue culture cell lines and cryopreservation of tissue minces. This will be done according to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) to promote uniformity in handling and record-keeping of the samples received from the various centers participating in the trial as well as from the JWCI clinics. The centralized collection and processing of specimens will allow efficient use of materials, reduce the frequency of venipuncture, and allow maintenance of process uniformity, thus preserving the highest possible quality of the specimens to be used by leaders in various projects. The procedures will include the following: (1) Centralized processing of blood specimens received from JWCI and participating trial centers for serum and lymphocytes; (2) Cryopreservation and inventorying of the separated serum and lymphocytes into freezers at pre-assigned locations, and maintenance of appropriate records in computerized database; (3) Retrieval and distribution of cryopreserved specimens to leaders of various projects as needed; (4) Processing of tumor tissues for cryopreservation as tissue minces and initiation of primary cell lines; (5) Maintenance of tumor cell lines, and retrieval and distribution of cells to leaders of various projects; and (6) Target antigen purification from spent-culture medium, tumor cell extracts and urine of cancer patients according to already established procedures. The specimens upon receipt will be examined for physical appearance and checked for accuracy of the information and appropriateness of the accompanying forms. Information that will accompany the specimen will be verified with pathology reports. To maintain confidentiality, the specimens will be coded and appropriate records maintained at a central location.
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