Pathology and Biorepository Services

This shared service provides a major resource to members of the UMGCCC, bridging both the clinical and basic sciences, with the goal of assisting in translating basic research to the clinic.

Services that are offered as part of the Tissue Bank Shared Service include:

The collection of human tissues, neoplastic and normal, from surgical pathology specimens resected at UMMC and bone marrow aspirates from the Cancer Center patients for the use by UMGCCC members and the UMB community.
The initial preparation of tissue samples is done according to established protocols. The following techniques -- touch imprint preps, snap freezing, controlled freezing, and fixation with paraffin embedding -- are routinely done. Density gradient separation of bone marrow is performed to isolate white blood cells. Blood is separated into its components, that are then frozen.
Banking of surplus tumor and normal tissue in the form of snap frozen tissue, frozen touch imprint preparations, and paraffin embedded fixed material. This is a resource for retrospective studies. The provision of such tissues, including histological sections of frozen and fixed tissue, is only to approved investigators.
A tissue database is maintained, which includes harvested tissue. There is appropriate quality assurance activities and interfacing with Pathology Department and UMGCCC databases to provide optimal and accurate clinical and pathological information.
The Tissue Bank Oversight Committee approves requests for tissue. This committee reviews proposals to determine the minimum useful amounts of tissue required, the manner in which the tissue is to be supplied, restrictions as to how the material must be supplied, and whether IRB and other approvals have been granted.
All collection activities are conducted in a manner that will ensure that priority is given to accurate pathologic diagnosis, that the patient confidentiality is protected, and that investigators have appropriate authorization for tissue use.