USA Health Biobank and Histology Core Facility Grant Resources
For Facilities Section
USA Health Biobank and Histology Core Facility:
The USA Health Biobank and Histology core facility operates to meet the University
Health System and the University biomedical research community's needs for tissues
and bodily fluids from patients diagnosed with different types of diseases and conditions.
Located at the Mitchell Cancer Institute building, the Biobank is allocated in three
laboratories to provide biobanking services (collecting, processing, and storing biospecimens),
DNA, RNA and protein extraction, and complete histological services. All patient information
and de-identified biospecimens are kept in a restricted access area with authorized
personnel's keycard entry. A pathologist core director, a scientific project manager,
and a HT ASCP histotechnologist staff the USA Health Biobank and Histology Core Facility.
For Equipment Section
USA Health Biobank and Histology Core Facility:
To provide biobanking services, the storage laboratory of the USA Health Biobank is
equipped with four -80ºC freezers and two cryogenic liquid nitrogen freezers for storage
of the de-identified biospecimens, and cabinets for storage of tissue paraffin blocks.
All -80ºC and cryogenic freezers are 24/7 remotely monitored for functionality. The
laboratory dedicated to biospecimen processing and analysis is equipped with a QIAGEN
TissueLyser II system for biospecimen disruption, a QIAGEN QIAcube Connect instrument
for DNA, RNA and protein extraction, a QIAGEN QIAxpert unit for DNA, RNA and protein
quantification, and a QIAGEN QIAxcel Advanced system for DNA, RNA and protein analysis.
The laboratory assigned for histology services is equipped with a tissue processor,
an embedding station, a cryostat, a microtome, a staining station, and an immunohistochemistry
autostainer. All associated patient and biospecimens data are stored securely using
a password-protected Laboratory Information Management System software. A pathologist
core director, a scientific project manager, and a HT ASCP histotechnologist staff
the USA Health Biobank and Histology Core Facility.