Since its establishment in 1992 the Colorado SPORE Tissue Bank and Biomarkers Core Laboratory(TBBC) has consistently aimed to 1. provide well characterized tissues and products derived from thosetissues to SPORE investigators, 2. assess status of submitted specimens by histological,immunohistochemical and fluorescence in situ hybridization, 3. link specimens to clinical data includingoutcomes in rigid compliance with standards for maintenance of patient confidentiality and informedconsent. The development of targeted treatments has engendered an urgent need to know the status ofthe targeted pathway, the most striking examples of which are tyrosine kinase receptor and arachidonicacid pathways. RNA, DMA and protein biomarker status can efficiently be analyzed using core equipmentand standardized methods in a single core laboratory. The Core will accordingly perform standardizedmolecular tests including quantitative RT-PCR and mutational analysis on extracts of tissue specimensobtained in support of individual SPORE research projects. Data from this testing is centrally tracked anddistributed to SPORE clinical and basic science investigators who may then incorporate these data intohypothesis generation and testing. The expanded role of the Core in biomarker testing has prompted aname change for the core to Tissue Bank and Biomarkers Core Laboratory. The Core provides specimensand testing results for invasive tumors and is the central biorepository for unique and actively accruing earlydetection and chemoprevention trials for both the Colorado SPORE and the national SPORE program,collecting data and specimens from high risk patients without carcinoma at the time of enrollment. TheCore is a unique source of biological materials that are used to investigate molecular changes thataccompany and may predict invasive tumor. Specific services provided by the Core include consenting andenrollment of patients into tissue collection trials, preparation of kits for efficient sample collection andstorage, sample procurement including but not limited to retrieval of tissue from operating andbronchoscopy suites, barcoding, accessioning and proper storage of SPORE specimens, histologicalsectioning and diagnosis of SPORE tissue samples, immunohistochemistry, and fluorescence in situhybridization (FISH). In addition, specimens are prepared for RT-PCR, mutational analysis andoligonucleotide microarray studies required in the SPORE projects. Finally, specimens and data, includingimages (see Bronchial Map Project) are tracked through the central SPORE computer system and areavailable to SPORE investigators for outcome and clinicoepidemiological correlations.
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