The objectives of the BioRepository Core of the DDRCC are to make available its specialized services and facilities for procurement, characterization, isolation and storage of human tissues and DNA from patients with gastrointestinal and liver diseases to the broad Cleveland academic community devoted to digestive diseases research based at the Cleveland Clinic and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. In addition, the BioRepository Core will provide intellectual and practical experimental support so that the human materials will be optimally used with maximal efficiency and cost-effectiveness. These goals will be accomplished through implementation of the following specific aims: 1) Procure, provide and store DNA, serum, and biopsy and surgical tissues from patients with gastrointestinal and liver diseases (i.e., Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, gastrointestinal and liver cancers, alcoholic and viral hepatitis, cirrhosis, obesity, etc.), as well as from normal controls for use in IRB-approved research protocols by DDRCC members; 2) Provide clinical and demographic classification of tissue and DNA samples; 3) Distribute tissue, cells and clinical specimens to DDRCC investigators for use in their digestive and liver disease-related research projects; 4) Provide expertise in the isolation of essentially all types of cells (immune, epithelial, mesenchymal, endothelial, parenchymal) from the gastrointestinal tract, cancer and liver for characterization in vitro; 5) Advise and teach investigators, through formal and informal consultation, on principles, methods, analysis, and experimental design of studies involving cell isolation and tissue banking; 6) Evaluate the service and the needs of the DDRCC members so that the resources bring the most benefit to specifically identified areas of research that are targeted as priorities by the DDRCC; 7) Provide all the above services in the most cost effective and least time consuming manner. Through these specific aims, the Core will greatly facilitate, encourage and benefit the DDRCC by providing high-quality and reliable services that will further promote the development or research related to diseases of the gastrointestinal system and liver.
This Core aims to create a high-quality, cost-effective and efficient system to provide investigators with samples of serum, DNA, tissue and cells to promote the investigation of mechanisms of digestive inflammatory and metabolic diseases, such as IBD, hepatitis, metabolic syndromes, and obesity. These conditions affect millions of individuals in the US, and facilitating their study will increase the chance of uncovering key pathogenic mechanisms and developing new therapeutic approaches
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