Human Virome Characterization Center for the Oral-Gut-Brain Axis

Biospecimen Collection Core: Abstract Leveraging the robust, existing infrastructure at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) for biobanking and biospecimen collection, the overarching goal of the Biospecimen Collection Core of the Human Virome Characterization Center (HVCC) for the Oral–Gut–Brain Axis is to establish a standardized, high-quality biospecimen repository while ensuring ethical and legal compliance for our multi-institute consortium. The Biospecimen Collection Core will provide a solid foundation for our HVCC by implementing standardized biospecimen collection procedures to ensure samples of the highest quality for virome analysis. These efforts will involve comprehensive protocol development, rigorous personnel training, continuous monitoring and evaluation, and establishment of a robust quality-control system. We will efficiently manage samples and data within a state-of-the-art biospecimen management system and establish a secure online repository, fostering data access and sharing while adhering to ethical and legal standards. Lastly, we will coordinate biospecimen preparation, shipment, and data exchange among collaborating Cores and partners within the Human Virome Project (HVP), optimizing research integration and, ultimately, advancing our understanding of the human virome's role in health and disease. Our Core will maintain close collaboration and consultation with the Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications (ELSI) Core to ensure strict adherence to ethical, legal, and social best practices throughout Institutional Review Board (IRB) processes, informed consent procedures, and reporting protocols. Furthermore, we will establish strong partnerships with the Biospecimen Analysis and Data Analysis and Submission Cores, working together to harmonize biospecimen preparation, shipment logistics, and data exchange throughout our research endeavor and beyond. The Biospecimen Collection Core represents a dynamic collaboration involving multiple key partners, including the Biorepository Core of the GLMC at UCLA), the UCLA Depression Registry , the Precision Health Biobank at UCLA, UCLA School of Dentistry Clinics, UCLA Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, the Mayo Clinic Biobank, the NIH/NIDCR biobank, and future cohorts, which include biospecimens from the All of Us Research Program, All India Institute for Medical Sciences, and Together for CHANGE/Meharry Medical College. Beyond these critical contributors, the Core extends its reach to encompass various other Principal Investigator (PI)-led biobanks at UCLA. This comprehensive network includes a wide spectrum of samples, with a specific focus on those intricately linked to the oral–gut–brain axis. Together, our collaborative effort harnesses the expertise and resources of these esteemed institutions and investigators, pooling their collective knowledge and biospecimen resources to drive groundbreaking research in the field of human virome studies. Our unified approach will ensure that the Biospecimen Collection Core is ideally positioned to provide invaluable biospecimens and data, fostering innovation and discovery at the intersection of microbiome research and human health.