Translational Pathology Core Laboratory Shared Resource (TPCL)

University Of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles CA

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

TRANSLATIONAL PATHOLOGY CORE LABORATORY SHARED RESOURCE (TPCL) ABSTRACT The Translational Pathology Core Laboratory (TPCL), a UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center (JCCC) Shared Resource since 1998, provides pathology services critical for basic, translational, clinical, and population cancer research. TPCL provides a College of American Pathologists accredited human tissue biobank, histology (animal/human; frozen/formalin-fixed paraffin embedded), laser capture microdissection, immunohistochemistry and in-situ hybridization services (established/new antibody optimization), and pathology consultation services. TPCL connects cancer researchers with subspecialty pathologists and was an early adopter of digital pathology, assisting with custom digital image analysis algorithms for complex evaluations of tissue sections. TPCL provided essential services and materials for numerous, recent high-impact studies, including work demonstrating that a sodium-glucose transporter is a potential diagnostic and therapeutic target in early-stage lung adenocarcinoma, and that therapy-induced tumor secretomes promote resistance and tumor progression. TPCL supports many clinical trials, including a recent UCLA-led investigator-initiated clinical trial of dual-cell immunotherapy, combining a NY-ESO-1 specific T cell receptor adoptively transferred with NY-ESO-1 peptide- pulsed dendritic cell vaccination, with or without ipilimumab-induced CTLA-4 blockade. During 2013 – 2018, TPCL developed four-color multiplexed immunofluorescence (MIF) staining for the Leica/Aperio slide scanner, which is a unique scanner capability, introduced nine-color MIF with a Perkin-Elmer Polaris system, created processes to identify and retrieve remnant biofluids with customized clinical variables, initiated a video universal electronic consent for biobanking, built research blood draw order capabilities within routine clinical lab orders, collaborated on a UC Virtual Biobank, and added biofluid acquisition, processing and storage. TPCL fees are similar to or lower than those of other cancer centers within Los Angeles County. During the prior project period, 153 JCCC members from all six Research Programs used TPCL representing 69% of overall usage. Their usage resulted in 334 publications, 49% of which were in high-impact (IF ≥10, or field leading) journals. TPCL is centrally located to most JCCC labs and occupies ~6,400 sf. TPCL Director Sarah Dry, MD (ZY), and Co-Directors Samuel French, MD, PhD (ZY) and Dawn Ward, MD, are board-certified, practicing pathologists who conduct basic, translational, and clinical research. Since 2013, Dry co-led the UCLA biobanking consent effort, with 39,700 consents in 24 months, using a novel video e-consent process. Dry also initiated efforts leading to current TPCL collaborations with UC Davis on a University of California (UC) Virtual Biobank. Exciting future TPCL directions to support and benefit JCCC research include: (1) Automated IF/combined IF/RNA-ISH staining; (2) Increased clinical variable searches for remnant biofluids; (3) Facilitated use of research blood draw requests by non-clinicians; and (4) Continued development of the UC Virtual Biobank.