ABSTRACT The availability of biological samples from individuals with alcoholic liver disease (ALD), as well as samples from appropriate heavy drinking, yet healthy controls and non-drinking healthy controls, is an essential first step in the translation of basic research advances to the clinic. The purpose of the Clinical Core component of the P50 Northern Ohio Alcohol Center (NOAC) is to provide biological samples (plasma/serum, urine, feces, DNA and peripheral blood mononuclear cells [PBMCs]) from patients with different stages of alcoholic liver disease, as well as healthy control subjects, to members of the NOAC. These samples can then be used to test specific hypotheses related to the presence of specific circulating biomarkers, functional immune activity in PBMCs and/or genetic polymorphisms that may predict severity of disease, short- and long-term morbidity and mortality and/or responsivity to specific therapeutic interventions commonly used in clinical practice. The Clinical Core is comprised of two components, building on the established biorepositories and the diversity of outstanding clinical expertise at the Cleveland Clinic and MetroHealth Medical Center: 1) NOAC biorepository: This biorepository included clinical samples (plasma, serum, PBMC, DNA, feces and urine), as well as clinical and demographic data from liver disease patients and healthy controls and 2) CoPath Database/Biospecimen Repository: The CoPath Database/Biospecimen Repository at the Cleveland Clinic allows investigators access to archived biopsy materials, with associated clinical data, initially used for diagnostic purposes. A Pathologist specializing in liver disease provides expertise in the analysis and interpretation of histological and immunohistochemical analysis of biopsy samples. The NOAC now has a robust biorepository including clinical and demographic data from patients with alcoholic hepatitis (n=93) and alcoholic cirrhosis (n=19), as well as NASH patients (n=26). Both lean and obese healthy controls (n=45) have been recruited. In the renewal application, the Clinical Core will be responsible for continuing to build the NOAC biorepository via subject recruitment and communication, clinical specimen collection, subject characterization through clinical data acquisition and subject follow-up. We are currently recruiting from both CCF and MetroHealth Medical Center, with MetroHealth providing better access to patients from minority populations, as well as heavy drinkers without disease. The Clinical Core will interact intimately with the members of the NOAC to ensure distribution of clinical samples and data to Center investigators. In this capacity, the Clinical Core will function as a collective resource to the membership of the NOAC to support accomplishment of its major goal of facilitating the translation of novel findings in the basic mechanisms of ethanol action to clinical studies. This Core will promote interaction between Research Components/Pilo...