Human Tissue Resource Center Expands, Offers More Services to Researchers
Access to [linked tissue]
allows for complex genetic
analyses, which is critical
to the development of individualized
therapies.
—Leslie Martin
As one of the most widely used core facilities at UChicago,
the Human Tissue Resource Center (HTRC)
provides research-quality biospecimens to 130 principal
investigators from 14 departments. Biospecimens are
samples of material––such as tissue, urine, blood, cells,
DNA, RNA, and protein––from humans, animals, or
plants. One of the HTRC’s primary purposes is to collect
clinically annotated, or “linked,” human tissue in
response to investigator-initiated research projects.
Linked tissue refers to research tissues that are associated
with clinical and patient information. Patient information
is from individuals who have agreed that certain
details of their medical record, such as how they were
treated and their response to treatment, can be used in
research studies. Access to data from large cohorts of
patients is critical to developing more effective personalized cancer treatment and prevention strategies.
A team of research and pathology professionals led by
Scientific Director Mark Lingen, DDS, PhD, and Technical
Director Leslie Martin operate the HTRC, comprising
four integrated facilities: Biospecimen Bank, which is
responsible for collecting, processing,
storing, and distributing the tissue;
Laser Capture Microdissection,
which is the dissection of tissues and cells under a microscope; Pathology
Image Analysis; and Immunohistochemistry.
Immunohistochemistry, a technique that identifies specific molecules in different types of tissue using antibodies, is used to help diagnose diseases, such as cancer, and to understand how cells grow and differentiate. The merging of the two facilities brings human and animal biospecimens under a coordinated, centralized, and dedicated program for the procuring, processing, dispersing, and assessing of all types of biospecimens.
Upgrades
The ever-expanding facility has been making software
upgrades and equipment purchases to further streamline efficiency and help researchers achieve their objectives.
For instance, the facility’s biospecimen banking database,
eSphere, has a new feature that allows users to request samples through a withdrawal process akin to Amazon.
com. Over a HIPAAcompliant network,
investigators can browse
through available samples
and protocols and
make tissue requests.
Each sample’s unique identifying bar code number corresponds to the pathology report, site of biopsy, and other clinical information, such as diagnosis, metastatic sites, gender, and race.
“Having access to this type of information allows for complex genetic analyses, which is critical to the development of individualized therapies,” said Martin.
The HTRC has also made improvements in digital
pathology image analysis. An advanced and user-friendly
system called Aperio allows researchers to view and quantify
images of stained tissue and analyze them using
different algorithms that are either pre-populated in the
system or created using their own
parameters. This can be done via the
web with a very high-resolution, userfriendly
program that digitally stores
images on a secure server. The system
enables researchers to distinguish differences
in serial sections and measure
distances between tissue structures.
Research Technologist Lei-Ann Arceneaux has assembled a manual, available at pathcore.bsd.uchicago.edu/ APERIO/APERIO_Introduction.shtml, to help UChicago investigators work through the new image analysis process.
“By integrating image capture, viewing, management,
and analysis solutions into a single workflow,
Aperio helps scientists accelerate basic research and drug
discoveries,” said Martin.
Plans for Expansion
The HTRC space soon will undergo renovations to
improve workflow and ensure future College of American
Pathologists compliance, according to Martin. As
part of the expansion process, the cryostats where frozen
specimens are stored will eventually be moved to another
room and additional research benches will be installed in
the current facility.
Martin also revealed that the HTRC is in the planning stages of renovating space on the 5th floor directly below the HTRC for the establishment of a unified “freezer farm” for the growing collection of biospecimens. These upgrades are being funded via an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act supplement awarded to the UCCCC.
“Upgrading our resources and acquiring more space will facilitate high-quality cancer research in a timely manner,” said Martin.
