Scientific Core B is the analytical core responsible for cocaine and antibody quantitations in a variety of specimens from animals and humans. The samples analyzed in Scientific Core B will come from Projects 2, 3, and 4.
The specific aims of the Core are as follows: . Development of methods to effectively stabilize cocaine in biological samples including blood, cerebral spinal fluid (CSF), urine, saliva and tissue. Preliminary data for CSF is reported. . Development of a sensitive method to quantitate cocaine and its monoester metabolites after extraction from serum, CSF, urine, saliva or tissue. Preliminary data is reported. . Development of a method to separate free cocaine from antibody-or protein-bound cocaine. . Validation and optimization of methods to quantitate the monoclonal anti-cocaine antibody in serum following injection into rats or humans. . Validation and optimization of an anti-idiotype assay to detect the formation of antibodies to the human monoclonal anti-cocaine antibody when the project reaches the stage where multiple doses of antibody are administered to humans. . Preparation of standard operating procedures and application of appropriate quality control and quality assurance procedures to all analyses to ensure that valid data is produced. . Application of good laboratory practice procedures to all of the analyses performed. Preliminary data on stabilization of CSF samples and measurement of ng/mL concentrations of cocaine have been obtained. The major strengths of the investigators in this core are in analysis and the application of quality control and quality assurance procedures to analysis. Further quality assurance of data will be provided by Br. Buncher who will oversee acquisition of all data.
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