IMCPL / Flow Cytometry

University Of Pittsburgh At Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

This laboratory is a specialized facility at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI), which is[unreadable] dedicated to the state-of-the-art evaluation of immune responses prior to, during and after therapeutic[unreadable] interventions in patients with cancer. It also generates cellular products for human therapy. In its role as[unreadable] Core for this Program Project, the IMCPL will assume responsibility for supporting the biotherapy-based[unreadable] clinical trials proposed by all four projects. The Core, functioning as a GMP facility, will culture and characterize[unreadable] dendritic cells (DC) for patient therapy and prepare vaccines by pulsing these DC with peptides or proteins.[unreadable] The Core will be responsible for quality and sterility of the DC-based vaccines. It will also procure and process[unreadable] all body fluids and tissues harvested in the course of the clinical trials associated with this Program Project.[unreadable] The Core will monitor immunologic responses to the administered vaccines by performing ELISPOT assays,[unreadable] tetramer analyses or cytokine flow cytometry (CFC). Cytokines in supernatants or body fluids will be[unreadable] monitored by the immunobead-based multiplex method. The Core will also be prepared to assist the Program[unreadable] Project investigators in implementing assays necessary for evaluation of immunologic responses to[unreadable] vaccines. The Core will ensure that all cellular products it generates and samples it collects are[unreadable] accompanied by appropriate documentation that will permit linking laboratory analyses with clinical results.[unreadable] The Core will also provide assistsance in preparation of IND submissions. The Core laboratory has a long[unreadable] history of collaboration with all of the investigators, and in the context of this Program Project will be entirely[unreadable] dedicated to the support of the clinical trials for patients with head and neck cancer, melanoma or renal cell[unreadable] carcinoma.