The Translational Pathology Core Facility provides normal and tumor tissue specimens necessary for many of the laboratory-based, epidemiologic and clinical studies being conducted by Cancer Center investigators. Since the establishment of this facility four years ago, over 9,000 fresh, frozen, OCT or fixed tissue specimens have been provided to over 45 Cancer Center members located at the USC Health Sciences campus and Childrens Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) to support their peer-reviewed, funded research. The facility is organized into three arms, each with distinct but related functions; one supplies fresh or frozen adult normal and tumor tissue specimens (supervised by Dr. Andy Sherrod, Department of Pathology), another provides pediatric normal and tumor tissue specimens (supervised by Dr. Timothy Triche, CHLA Department of Pathology), and the third provides population-based, fixed tissue specimens primarily for epidemiologic studies (supervised by Dr. Wendy Cozen, Department of Preventive Medicine). Although each arm operates somewhat independently due to the unique aspects of reach type of service, there is overall coordination under the direction of Dr. Sue Ellen Martin, Associate Professor of Pathology. The request process for tissue has a formal, multi-step protocol to ensure that all studies utilizing tissue are judged to be of sufficient scientific merit and have documented approval from the USC or CHLA Institutional Review Board (IRB). Patient identifying information is not released unless the investigator has IRB approval and a signed informed consent from the patient. Examples of past research supported by the Translational Pathology Core Facility includes studies examining the relationship between exogenous hormones and expression of breast cancer markers, DNA-repair mechanisms and hereditary non-polyposis colon cancer, the effectiveness of anti- angiogenesis factors on tumor progression, tobacco smoke exposure and p53 expression in lung and bladder cancer, and the function of the BRCA1 protein. Current research supported by the Translational Pathology Core Facility includes identification of genetic markers that predict prostate cancer progression, characterization of the VEGF repertoire in a variety of tumors for targeting a novel and promising anti- angiogenesis factor, studies of genetic determinants of biologic behavior in neuroblastoma tumors, genetic predisposition to and therapeutic response to retinoblastoma; and gene translocation and microarray gene expression in pediatric sarcoma.
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