Mouse and Human Atherosclerotic Tissue

Project Summary/Abstract As the Mouse and Human Atherosclerosis Tissue Core, Core C will provide a high level of harmonized service for murine and human atherosclerotic lesion analyses with focus on standardized approaches across the Program Projects. Core C will coordinate with principle investigators and Core B on biostatistical analyses, thereby ensuring high scientific rigor and reproducibility across the Program. The shared standardized protocols and well-trained personnel performing blinded analyses as proposed in Core C proposal are key to minimize variation related to sample preparation and to provide accurate, objective analyses, which could not be achieved with each Project functioning as an individually funded program. This will allow for better comparison of the data and results across the three Projects of the integrated Program. Therefore, the quality and execution of the proposed studies and successful fulfillment of the specific aims of the full Program are highly dependent on high- quality, harmonized services from Core C. Core C is composed of the mouse lesion analyses sub-core located at Columbia University and human lesion analyses sub-core located at Technical University of Munich through the Munich Vascular Biobank (MVB). The services provided by the mouse lesion analyses sub-core for mouse lesion analyses include mouse atherosclerosis tissue sample preparation, sectioning, and staining for various atherosclerosis quantitative and qualitative lesional parameters. For human lesion analysis Core C and MVB will provide a binary classification of lesions as stable or unstable based on the Redgrave criteria. Core C also will provide standardized protocols related to experimental design and sample preparation and characterization to the different investigators for the more novel or sophisticated technologies such as transcriptomic and spatial transcriptomic assays. All information obtained via these analyses will be matched to the patient demographic and medical history information, provided by Core C directly to each Project. Core C also will closely work with project PIs and Core B to provide any required information for samples in a blinded fashion to maintain scientific rigor in biostatistical analyses. Core C will receive advice and instructions from Core A and the executive committee comprising the PIs) on assignment of priorities for sample analysis. Core C also will learn and help address potential technique questions or issues in sample preparation or assays that could occur in research progress of each project, effectively communicate with all Projects and see whether this could be a common issue that can be addressed coordinately. Taken together, the unbiased, standardized and harmonized high quality services provided by Core C will be key for the successful execution of the proposed studies and to meet the specific aims of the full Program.