The projects of this HN SPORE will use human head and neck cancer specimens and cell lines for translational research directed toward improving the early detection, prevention, and treatment of head and neck cancer. The Tissue Procurement, Pathology and Biomarkers Core (Core C) provides investigators at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center and other collaborating institutions with high-quality tissue samples from patients with head and neck cancer and oral premalignancies. The Head and Neck Tissue Bank, directed by Core Director, Dr. Adel EI-Naggar, now contains more than 338,000 specimens from more than 29,000 patients. Standardized and centralized procedures have been established for tissue procurement, quality control, and processing, storage, and distribution of samples to individual investigators. In addition, Core C provides centralized, specialized services such as tissue microarray (TMA) construction, tissue microdissection, qualitative and quantitative biomarker analyses both in tissue [e.g., immunohistochemistry (IHC), Western blotting) and non-tissue (e.g., blood-based cytokine profiles) specimens, nucleic acid extractions, development and maintenance of cell lines. These services and expertise provided by Core C were a critical component of the past SPORE research activities, leading to over 158 publications during the past five years, with 78 of these publications co-authored by Dr. EI-Naggar. This Core has been at the forefront of multi-institutional efforts to standardize pathologic terminology and criteria for reporting and evaluating pathologic specimens and analyses, and developing and integrating common data elements of our Tissue Bank database with the NCI's CaBIG? Initiative. This revised application provides significantly enhanced detail regarding usage of the Core and how this resource has benefited the SPORE projects, its effectiveness and value, and its extensive contributions to InterSPORE and other NIH/NCI initiatives. Specifically, we have added lists of specimen acquisition and core users, details regarding our quality control procedures, and various methodologies related to our specialized services.
Specific Aims of the Core include: 1) To obtain, process, and maintain a repository of premalignant, tumorous, and matching non-tumorous specimens, and related specimens, and to distribute and track utilization of specimens;2) To maintain and expand innovative and unique tissue and blood-based resources and histopathologic services; 3) To perform and interpret various tissue- and blood-based methodologies with rigorous quality control, maximize tissue utilization, and ensure the successful completion of each project's aims;and 4) To foster and support inter-SPORE and other NCI/NIH interactions and collaborations. The Core will continue to ensure the highest quality tissue samples and related analyses will be provided to all HN SPORE investigators, as well as to collaborating researchers participating in other NIH/NCI-sponsored programs.
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