The Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center (LCC) of Northwestern University has strongly endorsed and agreed to share its Pathology Core Facility (LCC PCF) with NU-CHERS investigators through the establishment of the NU-CHERS Gynecologic Biospecimen Pathology Shared Resource Core (GBPC) in furtherance of the overarching goal of the NU-CHERS P20 application to support innovative translational research to elucidate and eliminate a broad spectrum of gynecologic cancer disparities. The GBPC will maintain the NU-CHERS Community Gynecologic Biobanking Collection (CGBC), enhancing the LCC PCF biospecimen collection by procuring a robust and diverse collection of gynecologic cancer specimens from Chicago?s largest public hospital, the John H. Stroger Jr, Hospital of Cook County (SHCC). The Director of the LCC-PCF, Jian- Jun Wei, MD is Co-Director of the NU-CHERS GBPC, underscoring the commitment of the LCC PCF to the infrastructure development and translational research proposed in the NU-CHERS application to reduce gynecologic cancer disparities. Working in tandem with Dr. Wei is GBPC Co-Director, Thomas Lad, MD who is Principal Investigator of the SHCC?s Minority Underserved NCI Community Oncology Research Program. The GBPC has the following Specific Aims.
Aim 1 : Engage NU-CHERS affiliated site John H. Stroger Jr, Hospital of Cook County in developing the Community Gynecologic Biobanking Collection (CGBC) a comprehensive biorepository of well-defined gynecologic tumor types, paired with clinical and pathologic data, from racial/ethnic minority and reference populations.
Aim 2 : Provide research histology and pathology services to NU-CHERS investigations of molecular-based gynecologic cancer disparities in minority populations.
Aim 3 : Support clinical trials led by NU-CHERS investigators and aimed at minimizing molecular-based gynecologic cancer disparities in minority populations that require the analysis of correlative components.
Aim 4 : Expand community-engaged research capacity among NU-CHERS research project and DRP investigators through community-tailored, reciprocal education and training in the procurement of racial/ethnic minority biospecimen.
Aim 5 : Participate in ongoing evaluation and transition planning to develop GBPC into a full P50 SPORE shared resource core.
The Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center (LCC) of Northwestern University has strongly endorsed and agreed to share its Pathology Core Facility (LCC PCF) with NU-CHERS investigators through the establishment of the NU-CHERS Gynecological Biospecimen Pathology Shared Resource Core (GBPC) in furtherance of the overarching goal of the NU-CHERS P20 application to reduce gynecologic cancer health disparities by forging innovative translational research directions that utilize human biospecimens from minority populations and in some cases biospecimens from the white population as a reference and by developing a robust infrastructure to broadly support gynecologic cancer disparities research. The GBPC will maintain a comprehensive biorepository at LCC PCF of a wide range of well-defined tumor types, paired with clinical and pathologic data; minority specimens will include those collected at the John H. Stroger Jr, Hospital of Cook County.
