The Translational Research Tissue Support Resource consists of two components. The existing Tissue Procurement Resource (TPR) is a resource whose mission is to provide human tissue samples to investigators for their research. Of necessity, the TPR operates on a prospective basis and its activity is described in an IRB-approved protocol, reviewed annually. It provides paperwork-related services to searchers planning the use of human tissue: necessary documentation for the IRB, and preparation of memoranda of understanding for the Office of Occupational and Environmental Safety. When tissue is available from a surgical case, the pathologist of record releases residual tissue to the Resource, accompanied by a signed document. Tissue is handled according to the IRB-approved research protocol of the receiving laboratory. Tissue is delivered with anonymized designations, without patient identifiers. The time and date of delivery, and signature of the personnel receiving the tissue, are recorded. Anonymized information as to date of delivery, and signature of the personnel receiving the tissue, are recorded. Anonymized information as to pathologic diagnosis can be provided for each research tissue, and paraffin-embedded samples related to the research tissue are routinely kept as reference material in the Resource. Translational research on human tissue at RPCI can be best served by the additional support of a second component, the Paraffin Archive Resource (PAR) for achival paraffin blocks, collected by purposeful design to include three groups of cases: 1) all familial cancers by organ site [whose use is blocks, collected by purpose design to include three groups of cases: 1) all familial cancers by organ site [whose use is most restricted]; 2) major concerns with known follow-up information [breast, lung, colon, prostate, etc.; use restricted to studies requiring follow-up for prognosis]; and 3) major and minor cancer cases known to be lost to follow-up [use is least restricted, the first material accessed for studies involving marker presence, localization or frequency assays]. Collection of the Familial Cancer tissue effectively saves this material from being inadvertently exhausted by unfocused studies, as is true for cases with known follow-up. For the first time, researchers would have immediately access to large numbers of cancers computerized according to type, degree of differentiation, and stage. This effort has been under development for over three years and phase 1 [familial cases] is completed. While the TPR and PAR are similar in being tissue oriented, it is important to realize these two activities are completely different operationally, and require different skills. The PAR will also offer services not available elsewhere on human tissue: automated immunohistochemistry and in-situ hybridization of high quality, Laser Capture microdissection, pathologist interpretation, DNA & RNA extraction, and production of tissue microarray slides to test large numbers of cases simultaneously.
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