This NIDDK Core Center of Excellence in Hematology (CCEH) provides resources to investigators at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (FHCRC) and University of Washington (UW). These resources are designed to overcome obstacles that limit the ability of individual investigators to isolate, functionally characterize, and manipulate hematopoietic stem cells and their progeny. Primary among these limitations is the inability to obtain sufficient quantities of defined cell populations from patients, normal individuals and large animals. This limitation is addressed by the Large-Scale Cell Processing which isolates specific populations of cells from large volumes of human, canine, and non-human primate blood and marrow. This Core also maintains a Repository of cryopreserved specimens from patients with hematologic diseases, and characterizes and maintains a database on all allogeneic transplant components. In addition We are currently developing canine embryonic stem cell lines for the use of CCEH members. the Clonal Analysis provides measures of chimerism in transplant recipients and clonal analysis of gene marked cells using LAM-PCR. We also have molecular biology consultation and tutorials. Vector Production designs and produces retrovirus, lentivirus, and foamy virus vectors for marking and transducing cells. This aids in the tracking of gene-marked cells and provides consultation for experimental design. The NOD/SCID Assay maintains a state-of-the-art in vivo readout of the proliferative and differentiative potential of defined populations of cells. This maintains and provides quality control for breeding stocks of various immunodeficient mice, performs all injections and tissue harvesting, and provides experimental design consultation. Taken together these make it possible for investigators to isolate cells of interest, mark them, alter their function, and accurately detect and quantitate their progeny in vitro and in vivo. These four are supervised and supported by the Administrative one under the direction of CCEH Director Beverly Torok-Storb and Associate Director Shelly Heimfeld. Administrative guidance from external and internal advisors also supports Pilot Studies and an Enrichment Program. There are more than 30 FHCRC-UW based researchers using these esources. Greater than 90%of all grant support comes from the NIH
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