Core--tissue, cell, biofluid processing facility

Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore MD

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

Description (provided by applicant): The close collaboration of basic scientists with clinical investigators and clinicians has been a fundamental characteristic of research at The Johns Hopkins Asthma and Allergy Center since its inception over ten years ago. In this unique situation, in vitro studies may lead to clinical investigations to determine their true biological significance. Conversely, many clinicians rely on basic research techniques to determine the cellular mechanisms underlying their observations. Large databases of well-characterized allergic and asthmatic subjects have provided important clinical information as well as cells and tissue from nasal and bronchial ravage and bronchial biopsy from these patients that have been analyzed by flow cytometric and biochemical analysis by investigators in neighboring basic research laboratories. Other investigators have had great success in characterizing the role of chemokines in eosinophil recruitment, and comparing non-allergic and allergic human subjects by using a variety of basic research techniques, including histological examination of cells and tissue. Thus, clinical and basic research play a vital role in the investigation of cellular- and tissue-specific mechanisms of human allergic inflammation at this Center. The objective of the Cell, Tissue and Biofluid Processing Core is to provide centralized and standardized biochemical, cytological and histological methods that allow investigators to gain important information related to how adhesion molecules, chemokines, and cytokines contribute to tissue-specific inflammation in human allergic diseases. A variety of techniques will be employed to compare mediators, chemokines, cytokines, receptors, adhesion molecules and precursor molecules released from and stored in cells from blood, lavage fluids, BAL, and biopsies. For example, flow cytometry also will be used to compare various phenotypic markers during the allergic response. In addition to centralizing biochemical and molecular biology techniques that have been the foundation of basic research in this Division over the past decade, this Core will become a state-of-the-art histological laboratory providing Program investigators with anatomical approaches to analyze either isolated cells or cells in different tissue. Therefore, the establishment of a core facility to centralize and standardize biochemical investigation as well as perform histologic analysis will allow for both greater control and flexibility in our research design and implementation.