CORE B (Molecular Pathology Core)

Abstract/Summary: The Molecular Pathology Core will be located at the University of Miami under the direct supervision of Dr. Oliver McDonald, MD, Ph.D., with collaborative support from Dr. Ladan Fazlollahi, MD, MPH at Columbia University. This Core provides several essential services to P01 investigators. The Molecular Pathology Core interfaces with existing infrastructure at the University of Miami to coordinate the collection of high quality tissue specimens (human and animal) so that an experienced gastrointestinal pathologist can process them into slide-based formats (H&E stains, TMAs, specialized chemical stains, immunohistochemical stains) that are suitable for histopathologic microscopic evaluation. The Core also annotates, stores, and tracks tissue biospecimens as they are collected and processed. Most importantly, the Core provides expert gastrointestinal pathology consultation and diagnostic slide review, including H&E morphology, special stain interpretation, and immunohistochemical (IHC) evaluation. These basic Core services are required for successful execution of P01 projects, all of which require in-depth histopathologic characterization of Barrett’s Esophagus (BE) and esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). The grading of BE-associated glandular dysplasia, grading and staging esophageal adenocarcinoma, evaluating of in situ protein expression in these lesions, and implementating of quantitative scoring systems are amenable to statistical tests of significance in collaboration with the Biostatistics Core.