Colorado HNC SPORE Biospecimen/Pathology Core

SUMMARY, BPC The Biospecimen/Pathology Core (BPC) is the central repository of specimens established to provide support to the Head and Neck Cancer (HNC) SPORE to aid in the successful execution of the proposed studies. Through the BPC we will establish a comprehensive resource of tissue specimens, body fluids, and tissue isolates

(DNA/RNA) that will support the SPORE and can be used by extramural investigators to improve our understanding of the underlying mechanisms in the onset, development, and progression of head and neck cancer and improve treatment options to aid the clinician in patient management. The main goals of the BPC

are to procure, characterize, analyze and process, and distribute specimen. The provision of these services takes advantage of a close working relationship with the existing facilities, infrastructure, and personnel for biobanking and histology operations of the University of Colorado Cancer Center Tissue Biobanking and

Processing Shared Resource and the University of Colorado Biorepository Core Facility. Specimens are collected as archival tissue or SPORE trial associated specimens that are obtained under IRB approved protocols. The BPC will also collect correlative clinical and biologic information that can be included in specimen

distributions. The BPC provides histologic interpretation, performs immunohistochemistry (IHC) and quantification of IHC by image analysis, prepares biospecimen isolates (RNA, DNA, protein), and provides molecular analysis on selected specimens required by the SPORE projects. This includes histologic review and

classification by up-to-date published WHO classification systems by the pathologist leadership of the core. The core designs its activities to meet the needs of each of the SPORE projects as outlined in the proposal. In order to meet the tissue needs and achieve the goals of the projects, the BPC collects and processes tissues in a

specific manner as determined via collaboration with project investigators. The BPC also collaborates in the performance of project related studies in which expertise of BPC personnel can benefit study design, data generation, and data analysis. The BPC will provide the necessary experience and expertise to be able to

develop CLIA certified testing to translate research findings into clinical utility.