SPOREs
Prostate
Cores
Prostate SPORE Cores
Core 3: Tissue Acquisition Core
Principal Investigator(s):
Massimo Loda, MD
Participating Institution(s):
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Core 3: Introduction
The DF/HCC Prostate Cancer SPORE Tissue and Pathology Core has provided and will continue to provide collaborating investigators multiple pathology services including histology, immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH), computer-assisted image analysis, laser capture microdissection, and the generation of and access to tissue microarrays (TMAs).
Our overarching goal is to create a seamless informatics link between the extensive existing tissue resources among the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center (DF/HCC) hospitals and collaborators. Thus, one of the major goals of this Core is to maintain and grow an existing tissue and blood resource (henceforth referred to as “biobank”), linked to clinical outcome data, behind a secure data management system that will be available to DF/HCC SPORE investigators as well as SPORE investigators at other institutions. In this regard there is and will continue to be close collaboration between the Tissue and Pathology Core and the Biostatistical and Computational Biology Core. Dr. Loda is cognizant that first and foremost we are responsible for the optimal clinical care and protection of our patients. Only after ensuring that sufficient information has been acquired to accurately grade and stage a patient’s tumor, do we register his samples into our biobank. The protection of patient confidentiality is guarded throughout the entire process, from collection to use in research projects. We are also greatly encouraged by the patient advocates involved in the SPORE program, who remind us of the importance of using these annotated samples for translational research to reduce suffering from CaP. We consider this our mission.
Core 3: Specific Aims
Guiding Principles (or Specific Aims): There are some guiding principles, which are critical to the success of this Core and allow us a means of presenting the various facets of our Tissue and Pathology Core. We believe these principles are consistent with NCI guidelines for the collection and storage of biospecimens as recently published in the Federal Register.
1) Successful translational research requires a wide range of well-annotated human analytes, mouse models, xenografts, and cell lines.
2) Patient protection and regulatory issues are the top priority of any biobank.
3) Access to samples and rules of usage (governance) need to be determined prior to performing experiments.
4) Data generated from each sample increase that sample’s value.
5) The biobank should facilitate research of qualified investigators regardless of their affiliation to the DF/HCC Prostate Cancer SPORE (i.e., outstanding research is encouraged from all corners of the world).
6) Pre-analytic variability of samples should be monitored and standard operating procedures (SOPs) should be employed when known.
7) Synergy with pre-existing programs leads to economy of effort.
8) Given limited resources, the biobank should focus first on the five SPORE Projects and the Developmental Projects and Projects of the Career Development Awardees.
9) Bioinformatics enhances the use of data generated from biobank samples.
10) High quality pathology interpretation and expertise in methodology is critical to working with heterogeneous prostate cancer samples to ensure optimal use of samples.
