Shared Resource 06: Comparative Pathology and Digital Imaging (CPDISR)

PROJECT SUMMARY – COMPARATIVE PATHOLOGY & DIGITAL IMAGING SHARED RESOURCE (CPDISR) The CPDISR provides expert, readily available and affordable experimental pathology support to investigators conducting research for understanding the development and treatment of cancer using preclinical animal models and/or human tissues procured for translational research. During the current funding period, a recent major development was the inclusion of complete histology services optimized for human tissues, as well as expanded slide digitization and quantitative image analysis services for stained human and animal tissue slides. As a result, Dr. Anil Parwani (MCC) has been named co-Director with Dr. Krista La Perle (CB), the name of the shared resource (SR) has been changed to the Comparative Pathology & Digital Imaging Shared Resource, and the Specific Aims have been modified accordingly. The Specific Aims are to: 1) provide consultative services to OSUCCC investigators for optimal experimental design, sample submission and data analysis, and interactions with other SRs; 2) provide support for preclinical efficacy and toxicity animal studies as well as translational studies that utilize human tissues; and 3) perform digitization and quantitative image analysis of stained slides from animal and human tissues. During the current 5-year grant cycle, a third board certified veterinary pathologist and seven additional technical staff have been added to anticipate usage in conjunction with the robust OSUCCC recruitment and strategic priorities. The CPDISR also acquired a Leica PELORIS 3 dual retort tissue processor after successful peer-reviewed funding through the OSUCCC Intramural Research Program. During this grant cycle, the CPDISR contributed to 84 publications (12 > 10 impact factor), 537 investigators, and 57 NCI grants, including 1 K12, 1 K22, 1 K24, 5 P01s, 1 P50, 35 R01s, 7 R21s, 2 R35s, 1 T32, and 3 U01s involving members of all five OSUCCC research programs. For the next grant cycle, the CPDISR will be a regular member of the Immune Monitoring and Discovery Platform, an overarching shared resource initiative fostering complex immuno-oncology projects. In addition, a major emphasis will be to continue to expand our available menu of antibodies optimized for immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence and in situ hybridization in tissues of animal and human origin by various staining platforms, including multiplexing, according to the specific needs of OSUCCC members. We will also increase our support of image analysis projects allowing machine learning approaches to be developed with the center for cancer engineering; and continue to evaluate available open source and commercial image analysis software platforms/modules to complement our Aperio and Visiopharm software in order to quantify biomarkers in animal and human tissues. The annual budget of the CPDISR is $1,863,254, yet the CCSG request is $107,366. As such, the CPDIR seeks only 5.8% budgetary support from CCSG funds.