Biospecimen Module

University Of Oklahoma Hlth Sciences Ctr, Oklahoma City OK

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

The Biospecimen Core of the Center for Mentoring Translational Cancer Research in Oklahoma will support promising junior investigators and other researchers in the Peggy and Charles Stephenson Oklahoma Cancer Center with provision and management of quality biospecimens. The Core will accomplish three aims: 1) Provide annotated human biospecimens, including blood and tissue components; 2) Aid in the design and implementation of prospective specimen collection protocols and of histologic and molecular analyses of specimens; and 3) Construct tissue microarrays tailored to individual and collaborative research projects. The accomplishment of these aims will enhance and facilitate translational research on a variety of cancers. In particular, verifying the quality of biospecimens will help to ensure the validity of research results. In addition, providing clinicopathologic annotation of specimens will increase the relevance and significance of the various projects planned for this Center. Histologic quality control will be conducted by board-certified pathologists. Core data management services will provide standardized annotations using a secure database system. In select instances, the Core Director, Co-Director, and Pathology Consultants will assist investigators in the conception of prospective specimen collection protocols and specimen analysis, to minimize the effect of pre-analytic and analytic variables on study results. Finally, Core pathologists and staff will establish a tissue microarray construction service to allow high-throughput analysis of cancer specimens.