The Pathology Resource Network (previously Translational Research Tissue Support Resource) incorporates three functions, Tissue Procurement, Paraffin Archive and Leukemia Tissue Bank under the supervision of Carl Morrison, MD, DVM, Director of the Division of Molecular Pathology, Department of Pathology &Laboratory Medicine. Dr Morrison was recruited from The Ohio State University in January 2007. He has been responsible for reorganizing the Resource to meet Institute and CCSG requirements. This resource provides human specimens for basic and translational research to further the understanding of the cellular and molecular pathogenesis of human cancers. The overall goal is to facilitate access to human tissue for IRB-approved investigators with an emphasis on translational efforts. Tissue Procurement serves the traditional role of providing anonymous fresh and frozen tissue to investigators requiring unfixed human tissue. There are two major changes: (1) Tissue Procurement is making the necessary changes to transform a majority of requests to a macromolecule delivery (DMA, RNA, protein), allowing for a more efficient use of these precious materials by other CCSG Resources such as Microarray and Genomics and allowing multiple investigators to utilize a single specimen;(2) a procurement mechanism is being established to allow for special collections of tissues with an emphasis on translational research. The Paraffin Archive is a repository of organ-specific neoplastic and non-neoplastic formalinfixed, paraffin-embedded clinical specimens. There are two major changes: (1) the hiring of dedicated personnel under the supervision of Dr Morrison;(2) an intense effort to organize these specimens into a translational theme utilizing tissue microarrays. The Pathology Core Facility serves as a research specimen processing laboratory and performs functions for individual investigators and for Tissue Procurement and Paraffin Archive ranging from basic histology and immunohistochemistry to processing specimens for macromolecules for Tissue Procurement and building tissue microarrays for the Paraffin Archive. The Leukemia Tissue Bank processes and cryopreserves cell samples from patients with hematological disorders for analysis of a variety of molecular pathogenetic and prognostic characteristics. This highly-integrated Resource with well controlled and characterized specimens will continue to serve as an important resource for enhancing translational research and collaborative efforts that will result in increased peer-reviewed funding and publication. The Resource is used by all six Programs and 96% of users are CCSG members. $221,883 in CCSG support is requested, representing 19% of the total operating budget.
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