The Translational Pathology Core Facility provides normal and tumor tissue specimens necessary for the laboratory-based, epidemiologic and clinical studies being conducted by Cancer Center investigators. As cancer research increasingly utilizes human tumor specimens, the need for this service has escalated accordingly. It is now indispensable for many Cancer Center investigators. As a result, usage has increased dramatically. In the last four years, fresh/frozen tissue from over 3,800 cases has been collected;over 4,400 frozen tissue specimens have been distributed;over 7,235 paraffin blocks have been procured;over 94,000 paraffin sections have been distributed;over 1,000 fluid specimens have been collected;and over 50 new cell lines have been established. Tissue specimens have been provided to over 25 Cancer Center members located at the DSC Health Sciences campus and Childrens Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) to support over 40 peer-reviewed, funded research studies, including 25 NIH funded studies. The facility is organized into three arms, each with distinct but related functions;one supplies fresh/frozen adult normal and tumor tissue and fluid specimens (supervised by Dr. Andy Sherrod, Department of Pathology), another provides pediatric 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). There is overall coordination of these services 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 DSC or CHLA Institutional Review Board. Patient identifying information is not released unless the investigator has IRB approval and a signed informed consent from the patient. Examples of research supported by the Translational Pathology Core Facility include studies examining DMA-repair mechanisms and hereditary non-polyposis colon cancer, the effectiveness of antiangiogenesis 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 antiangiogenesis factor, studies of genetic determinants of biologic behavior in neuroblastoma tumors, genetic predisposition to and therapeutic response in retinoblastoma;and diagnostic and prognostic gene expression profiles in pediatric bone and soft tissue sarcomas. We have in place a successful infrastructure that will expand in the term of the renewal to meet the needs of the Cancer Center.
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