) There are many cancer researchers throughout the United States who either wish to perform or are involved in laboratory investigations with human tumors and/or other human tissues. The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) was selected as one of the three initial research institutions to comprise the Cooperative Human Tissue Network (CHTN) which was established in January, 1987, by the National Cancer Institute to provide a dependable source of human tissues for cancer research. The Southern Division of the CHTN at UAB has enthusiastically and effectively participated in all CHTN cooperative activities, including the establishment of policies and guidelines for CHTN operation. The Southern Division has taken a leading role in: 1) publicizing the availability of human tissues to the research community through design of the CHTN logo, brochure and exhibit, as well as planning, organizing and attending for the CHTN scientific meetings to publicize CHTN activities; 2) developing guidelines to protect against the biohazards involved in supplying human tissues; 3) standardizing and networking collection protocols and tissue requests; and 4) aiding in the development of local tissue resources at multiple institutions. In addition, we have worked diligently on the development of the CHTN database computer program and the Southern Division will be one of the sites for the initial testing of this computer program. In the first four years of this funding cycle (1991-1994), the Southern Division of the CHTN, which primarily services researchers in the Southern and Southwestern United States, has provided over 15,000 fresh, frozen and fixed human tissue specimens to 370 investigators at 215 institutions. The Southern Division will continue to focus on providing reliable high quality human tissues for research. These specimens are obtained under optimal conditions from surgical procedures and autopsies performed at the UAB associated hospitals and subcontractor institutions. Because of demonstrated success in supplying research tissues and due to the continuing increase in demand for high quality human tissues by the research community, UAB proposes to expand existing operations by the addition of consortium agreements with Baylor Medical School in Houston, and Indiana University in Indianapolis, as well as continue our subcontracts with the Northern California Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University, Birmingham Children's Hospital, and the Druid City Hospital in Tuscaloosa Alabama. These participating institutions will provide access to tissues from more than 150,000 surgical procedures and over 1000 autopsies.
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