) The AIDS Malignancy Bank was established in 1994, and since 1995 has been composed of five sites: UCSF, UCLA, George Washington University, SUNY-Brooklyn, and Ohio State University. The AMB is a national resource that reflects the history of the malignancies of HIV disease in specimens. Because scientists in the AMB are themselves actively involved in studies of the pat hogenesis of AIDS-related malignancies, the AMB is responsive to therapeutic and scientific advances in HIV disease. Currently, the AMB contains 12,688 individual specimens in 43 different categories. These fluid, cell, and tissue specimens, along with associated clinical information, are available to qualified researchers worldwide. To date, 18 different investigators have received over 900 specimens after critical evaluation of their Letters of Intent (LOIs) by an independent Research and Evaluation Decision Panel (REDP) of experts in the field. This current recompetition proposal combines information from all AMB member sites, as well as reporting accomplishments, future plans, goals and budget projections from individual sites. The key AMB goals are: 1) establish an Operations Center that will maintain the national database, coordinate activities of the AMB sites, and interface with external sources of specimens such as the AIDS-related Malignancy Consortium and the Women's Interagency HIV Study, and the scientific community; 2) to expand the AMB to serve as the specimen repository for large oncological clinical and epidemiological consortia, ultimately leading to procurement of their specimens, 3) to increase visibility and broaden the use of the AMB by investigators; and 4) to f u rther develop individual member site programs to increase specimen acquisition. The SUNY-Brooklyn AMB, established in 1995, has accrued over 1,700 tissue samples with special emphasis on gynecological malignancies, samples from untreated patients, infectious diseases, and multi-site autopsies. In this current recompetition proposal the SUNY-Brooklyn AMB plans: 1) to expand access to clinical specimens by developing relationship with New York City Minority Based Clinical Oncology Program (NYC MB-COOP), an NCI funded consortium of the oncology services from five hospitals serving 1.2 million minority inhabitants in Manhattan, Bronx, and Brooklyn, 2) to develop relationships via NYC MB-COOP with the NCI cancer study groups SWOG, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, and National Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Program (NSABP), 3) to expand special collections of gynecologic malignancies and infectious diseases by developing relationship with SUNY Special Treatment and Research Clinic (STAR), 4) to incorporate the SUNY-AMB as a major program within the proposed NCI designated SUNY-HSCB Cancer Center. Dr. Axiotis and SUNY- Brooklyn AMB have been invited to develop and lead the HIV-related Carcinogenesis section within the newly proposed NCI funded SUNY Cancer Center.
