Fox Chase Cancer Center has an established program in human genetics with the goal of identifying genetic variations in humans that determine susceptibility to cancer and response to its treatment. The long-term goal of these programs is to use genetic strategies to identify individuals at risk for particular types of cancer and to develop new methods of cancer prevention and treatment. These programs focus on the development of the basic science resources and methods necessary to achieve these goals, as well as the use of genetic methods to """"""""characterize the epidemiology of cancer and to predict response to treatment. Since, the identification of genetic and environmental factors that influences one's lifetime risk of developing disease requires biosamples from large cohorts of individuals affected and unaffected with a particular disease, Fox Chase provided start up funding to establish the Biospecimen Repository Core Facility in 1999. This facility is a research-based infrastructure, which facilitates the conduct of basic and clinical research. Large cohorts of individual's affected and unaffected with cancer are being assembled. In addition, information on personal and family histories of cancer, clinical intervention, and lifestyle factors is obtained. Blood samples are collected from all participants and the blood byproducts (i.e., plasma, platelet rich plasma, platelet homogenates, erythrocytes, leukocytes, whole blood, and DNA) are being stored and are available to peer-review funded investigators (both at Fox Chase and outside of Fox Chase). However, a significant challenge in performing these studies then becomes the capacity to effectively handle and process these biosamples in a rapid and cost effective manner. The Biosample Repository has nearly doubled its accrual rate annually since its inception and it is expected that this rate of growth will continue. Therefore, support is requested for the purchase of an Autopure LS system to greatly enhance our capability of isolating DNA from human biosamples (e.g., whole blood, packed cells, buccal samples) while maintaining our current technical staff. ? ?
