Biospecimens Core

BIOSPECIMEN AND PATHOLOGY CORE C – PROJECT SUMMARY The Biospecimen and Pathology Core (Core C) collects and annotates biospecimens with clinical data to meet the needs of the three Translational Research Projects, Developmental Research and Career Enhancement Programs, and investigators engaged in hepatobiliary cancer research. Core C incorporates the Core HB SPORE Registry and Biorepository, and additional biorepositories at Mayo Clinic and other institutions, including the Genetics of Cholestatic Liver Diseases Registry (Dr. Konstantinos Lazaridis), Liver Transplant Registry (Dr. Timucin Taner), and the Hepatobiliary Cancer Patient-Derived Xenograft (PDX) program (Dr. Mark Truty). Core C coordinates with The Fibrolamellar Carcinoma Biorepository at Rockefeller University (Dr. Sanford Simon). Core C provides sample accessioning and pathology support for early phase clinical trials as needed in SPORE projects, coordinates with the Mayo Clinic Biospecimen Accessioning and Processing (BAP) Shared Resource to process blood samples to genomic DNA and serum and plasma aliquots, and with the Pathology Research Core (PRC) to provide tissue-based services, including frozen and paraffin sections, immunohistochemistry (IHC), FISH, tissue microarray (TMA), and digital imaging. The Department of Surgical Pathology facilitates acquisition of fresh tissue for research at the time of surgery. We have initiated a major focus on a variety of specimens . The aims are: Specific Aim 1. Provide clinically annotated blood-derived, bile, stool, and urine specimens. Specific Aim 2. Provide clinically annotated frozen and formalin-fixed tissue specimens, histopathologic characterization, and histology-related laboratory services. Specific Aim 3. Provide clinically annotated fresh tissues, PDXs, organoids, cell lines and animal models. Requests for biospecimens are reviewed by the SPORE Biospecimen Access Committee for Hepatobiliary Cancers: (BAC-HEP), with priority access for the four SPORE Translational Research Projects, the Developmental Research and Career Enhancement Programs, and other SPORE investigators. Director: Dr. Michael Torbenson (Liver pathology). Focus is histology and pathology services including detailed annotation of frozen and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue, IHC, and animal models. Co-Director: Dr. Lewis Roberts (Hepatology). Focus is building collaborative network and agreements, IRB protocol maintenance, coordination of consenting, abstraction, curating, and shipping of specimens. Co-investigator: Dr. Zongming Chen (Liver Pathology). Focus is supporting pathology core services. Co-investigator: Dr. Kirk Wangensteen (Hepatology). Focus is supporting registry and biorepository services. All shared resources are available to all members of the worldwide scientific community if the appropriate ethical and legal permissions are obtained, within the limits of specimen availability and project feasibility.