Tissue/Pathology/Immunology Core

Project Summary/Abstract The overall goal of this Tissue/Pathology/Immunology Core (Core C) is to acquire, preserve, and distribute clinically-annotated, high-quality human biospecimens related to cervical cancer and HPV disease, and to provide pathologic and immunologic expertise, support, and in situ analyses for tissue-based analyses for investigators in the Cervical Cancer SPORE at the Johns Hopkins University, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, the University of Colorado at Boulder, and Medical University of Vienna as well as external collaborators. Core C has been in existence since 1998, and has expanded with the support of the Cervical Cancer SPORE. To date, we have banked blood, cytologic and tissue samples from 4299 subjects and supported 11 clinical trials. All human tissues and biologic fluids are harvested and banked in accordance with the National Cancer Institute's Best Practice Guidelines for Biorepositories. Core C personnel have been expanded to strengthen expert pathologic and immunologic consultation to investigators, including guidance for quantitative digital image analyses of multiparameter molecular studies of tissues, microdissection, preparation of tissue microrarrays, HPV genotyping, HPV seroepidemiology and HPV Antigen Functional Expansion of Specific T cells (FEST) via TCR Vβ clonotype sequencing and quantitation. Collection of tissue, cytologic and blood specimens is supervised by gynecologic pathologists and clinical colleagues in gynecology. Clinical information for subjects enrolled in our clinical protocols is entered into a password-protected web-based tracking system. This internal web-based system follows the recommendations of the National Research Council, and includes user authentication, encryption, audit trails, and disaster recovery. A review mechanism is in place for prioritization of distribution of requested resources to investigators within and external to the Johns Hopkins Cervical Cancer SPORE. Biosamples have been shared with collaborators at academic institutions across the country. This shared resource is pivotal to the success of all four HPV vaccine-based SPORE projects and will support all four HPV vaccine-based SPORE projects external collaborators, as well as the Developmental Research Program (DEP) and Career Enhancement Program (CEP) awardees, and external collaborators. Core C is led by Drs. Andrea Kahn, M.D. (UAB), Rebecca Arend, Ph.D. (UAB), Raphael Viscidi, M.D. (JHU), and Russell Vang, M.D. (JHU). Co-Investigators that support Core C include Drs. Kellie Smith, Ph.D. (JHU), Jianqing Zhang, Ph.D. (UAB), Deyin Xing, M.D., Ph.D. (JHU), and Robert Anders, M.D., Ph.D. (JHU).