The highly innovative Rapid Autopsy Pancreas (RAP) program addresses a major limitation in pancreatic cancer research: the lack of quality human specimens for pancreatic cancer representing all stages of disease. Our program of rapid collection of large quantities of all organs and fluids that initiates within an hour of death and is completed within five hours is a unique program in the world. The repository generated from these autopsies allows for the capture of the complete disease history present at the time death and ultimately allows for collection of samples representing the full spectrum of disease from premalignant lesions, primary tumor and metastatic disease. The RAP program is a core component of the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) Pancreatic Cancer Research program that is tasked with the collection, archiving and distribution of tissues and fluids from patients that have recently passed with pancreatic cancer. The Unit Director of the Pancreatic Cancer Research program at the Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center of UNMC is Dr. Michael A. Hollingsworth. Dr. Paul Grandgenett, a Research Assistant Professor under the aegis of Dr. Hollingsworth's, is the director of the RAP program and the applicant for this Research Specialist Award. The RAP program operates within the Pancreatic Cancer Research Program at UNMC, and is important to and currently funded in part by: a pancreatic cancer SPORE p50 grant; ongoing and pending U01 grants from the Early Detection Research Network; a U54 grant as part of the Tumor Microenvironment Network; and several R01 grants to individual investigators. A key role of Dr. Grandgenett is to work with collaborators to determine the samples that are needed for a research project, to modify our SOP as needed to obtain those samples, and then to provide those samples to investigators. It is essential for the leadership of this resource to be a highly trained Research Specialist with extensive experience through participation in the autopsies, a comprehensive knowledge of the patient samples available, as well as the ability to interact on a scientific level with each investigator. Specimens collected include primary tumor, residual unaffected pancreas, distant metastases, all unaffected tissues, as well as fluids such as blood and ascites. These tissues and fluids are rapidly harvested under an SOP that aims to maintain cellular and molecular integrity of the tissue. Selected fresh samples are processed immediately or used for live cell culture/xenograft procedures. These procedures are determined in advance and are based on the needs of funded projects both at UNMC and at other institutions. Currently, we ship fresh samples to other laboratories conducting research on blood based biomarkers (proteins, RNA, DNA), circulating tumor cells, cell cultures including organoids, and other processes. The remaining samples are frozen, maintained in long-term storage facilities and made available through request and collaboration for local, national and international pancreatic cancer studies. Dr. Grandgenett has a major role in all aspects of the collection, processing, annotation and distribution of these biospecimens.
The Rapid Autopsy Pancreas biorepository serves as a unique and highly utilized core associated with several NCI funded programs of research in pancreatic cancer at UNMC and elsewhere. As Director of the RAP program, Dr. Grandgenett plays a major role in expanding the collection, and in the annotation and distribution of these biospecimens. The Director's contribution is essential to the continued success of the program and those dependent on it.
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