The prostate pathology core provides essential services to all projects in the SPORE with major commitment to tissue acquisition and processing, tissue histology and analysis including specialized techniques, and pathology consultation. The core is fully committed to collaboration with other SPORE and NCI programs, including the National Biospecimen Network (NBN), the Inter-SPORE Prostate Biomarker Study (IPBS), the NCI informatics grid (e.g. CA-BIG etc.), the Inter-SPORE Clinical Trial Concept Committee, and the Early Detection Research Network (EDRN). The core infrastructure includes a Pathology Coordinating Center which interacts with the SPORE Executive Committee to prioritize resources among competing projects. For tissue collection the core will expand existing resources including a functioning tissue bank funded by the Jonsson Cancer Center and the Departments of Pathology and Urology to provide services to the projects including harvesting, collection, and processing of fresh biopsy, prostatectomy, serum and urine specimens. Tissue will be collected from prostate core biopsies, prostatectomy specimens, trans-urethral resections, and metastatic tumor from surgical and autopsy specimens. All specimens will be evaluated pathologically by the Pi's (Dr. Said or Dr. Thomas) to ensure accurate and consistent classification and grading of tumors. The core will also provide a full range of services including processing, fixation, and embedding of human and murine tissues, routine histology, and specialized immunohistochemistry and in-situ hybridization studies. Particularly use will be made of high throughput techniques incorporating tissue arrays from over 500 cases of prostate carcinoma already prepared, as well as second generation arrays with samples related to outcome such as PSA recurrence and metastasis. A computerized database will be maintained of well-characterized matched samples of normal and neoplastic tissues. This database is electronically linked to the clinical database maintained by the SPORE Biostatistics core and the Department of Urology. The core will validate IRB approvals before performing studies, and will maintain patient confidentiality at all times. Core facilities include a histology laboratory, a fully automated immunohistochemistry laboratory, computerized instrumentation for quantitative immunohistochemistry, and a tissue array facility. One of the key contributions of this core is expert pathology consultative services. The Pi's have demonstrated expertise with prostate pathology, both clinical and experimental, involving human and murine tissue. The investigators will continue to work closely with SPORE investigators in experimental design, use of human and murine tissues, and analysis and interpretation of results. Drs. Said and Thomas have co-authored over 30 prostate cancer publications during the five years of SPORE funding, reflecting their engagement in the program and contribution of this core to prostate cancer research at UCLA.
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