Biorepository and Tissue Technology Shared Resource (BTTSR) The BTTSR provides for the acquisition, multi-modality processing, and archiving of well-annotated human biospecimens that is seamlessly integrated with histology and tissue analysis services. Three major activities are provided by this shared resource: 1) the biorepository for human tumor specimens that are acquired during diagnostic and therapeutic procedures from consented subjects with associated blood, urine (when applicable), and CSF (when applicable), and that are linkable to clinical and diagnostic and made available to MCC investigators;2) tissue histology and technology for state-of-the-art molecular morphology/biomarker applications, and 3) histopathologic expertise for validation of diagnostic parameters on biorepository specimens, and assistance in the interpretation of human and mouse tissue pathology. Each major activity is coordinated by an expert faculty co-director. Dr. Vandenberg (STT), an experienced pathologist, is overall Director of the BTTSR, Dr. Schwab (STT) oversees the biorepository clinical affairs and sample collection and distribution, and Dr. Varki (STT) oversees the histology and tissue technology applications in human samples and animal models. The BTTSR assists in the formulation of targeted prospective collections for clinical trials or for translational research projects directed at biospecimens that need specific parameters, in addition to routine tissue collection during diagnostic or therapeutic procedures. Tissue technology includes multi-label immunohistochemistry, multiplexing immunofluorescence, and in situ hybridization in addition to analytical microscopy for molecular morphology, including spectral imaging. The state-of-the-art laser-capture microscopy in the tissue technology resource provides an important resource for performing genomic/expression profiling and proteomics on tissue sections with complex tumor cell heterogeneity and complements the biomarker discovery capabilities performed in this facility. During 2012, 40 MCC investigators representing five programs used Histology services and 11 investigators used the Biorepository accounting for 97% of utilization, and the combined resources received 10% of their funding from the CCSG. This is a new shared resource created from a merger of the previous Histology and Biorepository shared resources.
The availability of the Biorepository and Tissue Technology Shared Resource enables our researchers to access annotated, optimally preserved human biospecimens for translational research. This Shared Resource also facilitates both routine histologic analysis and multi-modality detection of biomarkers in complex tumor tissue and animal models, and assists in the histopathologic interpretation of these biomarkers.
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