Biobank Shared Resource

University Of Rochester, Rochester NY

Investigators

Abstract

BIOBANK SHARED RESOURCE: PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT The mission of the Biobank Shared Resource (BSR) is to support and promote human cancer research at the Wilmot Cancer Institute (Wilmot). The BSR offers a wide range of services to Wilmot members, including access to an extensive catalog of clinically annotated biospecimens and study design consultation to maximize project value and success. Bradley Mills, PhD (ZY), Research Assistant Professor of Surgery, serves as the BSR Director. Mills has extensive expertise in human tissue research, including technical proficiencies in primary cell culture, organoid development, various imaging modalities, flow cytometry, and traditional, as well as, emerging genomics analyses. He is further assisted by 10 staff members (clinical coordinators and laboratory technicians) with similar skill sets and financial support from Wilmot. The BSR prospective collection contains over 20,000 samples generated from a wide variety of solid and liquid tumors. In addition, the BSR is uniquely positioned to reduce access barriers to other shared resources that will add value and increase the impact of the research study. Wilmot investigators who request samples or study-specific services are supported by the BSR at all levels of their research, from project design through regulatory approval, scientific review, and manuscript submission. The BSR has a well-developed oversight structure including an advisory committee that evaluates resource utilization and informs strategic initiatives, and a utilization committee that reviews all investigator requests to ensure that BSR samples are disbursed fairly, responsibly, and for impactful research that aligns with Wilmot priorities. These committees are comprised of representatives spanning Wilmot leadership, programmatic research, community engagement, and human subject research compliance. This broad representation highlights how the BSR is central to the Wilmot clinical research initiative. The BSR staff is equipped to process a variety of sample preparations including whole or dissociated fresh tissue, viably frozen tissue fragments, optimal cutting temperature tissue blocks, primary cells, stem cells, cell lines, organoids, and xenografts, and regularly communicates with its companion shared resources to ensure that tissues are processed appropriately for downstream assays. The prospective sample catalog currently contains over 20,000 samples derived from more than 2,500 cases of various tumor origins. Many of these cases also provide paired specimens that were derived from a single subject (e.g., tumor and adjacent normal tissues) and thus possess superior research value. Prospectively collected tissues are routinely preserved as flash-frozen whole tissue (cryo), formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) blocks (when sufficient gross material is available), and processed blood derivates in order to maximize assay compatibility for future-use research. All BSR samples are stored within the BSR facility and annotated with minimum reportable clinical information and in vitro preanalytical variables for quality assurance.