The Laboratory of Pathology participates in the Tissue Processing and Procurement Facility (TPPF). The TPPF is staffed by a two part-time Pathology Specialists (Physicians' Assistants for Pathology) and a part time Technical Laboratory Manager and is housed in our frozen section room. Their equipment includes a sterile hood and supplies of liquid nitrogen and dry ice. The TPPF coordinates tissue procurements in the operating room (OR), facilitation of the complex procurement that often involves multiple investigators and multiple protocols. A pathologists' assistent (PA) works with investigators, identifying what tissues need to be procured, how they are to be stabilized and what protocols allow the tissue procurement to occur. The PA also works with the senior resident, and between the perform most of the procurements. Procurements may take place in the TPPF lab, in the OR or in an investigators lab. This system allows as many investigators as possible to benefit while meeting the standard-of-care for anatomic pathology. For calendar year 2015, TPPF staff processed more than 3,950 specimens to support tissue procurements for more than 250 NIH investigators for approximately 150 protocols. The WRNMMC tissue bank is in its development stage, and has amassed just over 450 specimens (ffpe, OTC frozen and slides) from 150 cases. As a significant inventory is collected and database of available tissues built, this biomaterial and associated clinical information will be made available to NIH investigators. Each request for specimens will be reviewed by a Tissue Resource Committee of Pathologists and regulatory administrative staff in LP.
