BIOREPOSITORY AND MOLECULAR PATHOLOGY SHARED RESOURCE ABSTRACT The Biorepository and Molecular Pathology (BMP) Shared Resource, established in 2000, seamlessly integrates exceptional expertise in biorepository, histology, and molecular diagnostic services for research at Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI). The College of American Pathologists (CAP)-accredited Biorepository Section provides researchers with high quality, richly annotated fresh tumor, blood, and other body fluids with patient-matched normal controls, using adept procurement, processing, storage, and prioritized distribution. The biorepository is responsible for managing patient consent and IRB approval. Data entry, searches, and annotation of biospecimens with pathology, electronic medical record, genealogical (via the Utah Population Database Shared Resource), genomic (via the High-Throughput Genomics and Bioinformatic Shared Resource), and tumor registry data are all provided via the itBioPath software system used by the BMP Shared Resource (and built by the Research Informatics Shared Resource). The Research Histology Section is separate from hospital histology, facilitating dedicated and rapid turnaround for research. Research Histology performs all manner of expert histology on Biorepository frozen and fixed human and animal tissues, including tissue microarray work, processing, frozen and paraffin sectioning, and special staining from a catalogue of over 175 immuno- and histochemical options. The Molecular Diagnostic Section provides an essential bridge from scientific discovery to patient trials prior to CLIA test certification. It uses biospecimens and histologic preparations from the other two BMP sections for nucleic acid isolation and genetic analysis via Sequenom MassArray and Illumina MiSeq technologies. Data are uploaded to GNomEx, HCI's centralized genomics database. The BMP Shared Resource is directed by Evin Gulbahce, MD, who oversees daily operations and provides essential, pathologist-specific expertise to the Resource. The BMP resides partially in the Cancer Hospital adjacent to pathology/operating rooms to facilitate rapid fresh tissue banking, with the Biorepository section on the third floor of the research building directly adjacent to laboratories. The BMP Shared Resource markedly advances efficiency and cost savings for cancer research at HCI, providing precious, highly annotated biospecimens, histology, and molecular diagnostics which add substantial value to HCI's research efforts and advance HCI?s goals to improve cancer diagnosis, treatment, and cure. The importance of the Resource is demonstrated by its wide array of users and its contributions to numerous publications. In 2013, use of the Resource by Cancer Center investigators with peer-reviewed funding exceeded 43%, while the CCSG budget request is only 6% ($61,944) of the total proposed budget.
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