# Biospecimen Acquisition, Processing and Classification Unit

> **NIH NIH U2C** · OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $11,297

## Abstract

Abstract – Biospecimen Acquisition, Processing and Classification Unit 
The Biospecimen Acquisition, Processing and Classification Unit (Biospecimen Unit) will be responsible for ob- 
taining appropriate IRB approval and informed consents for OMS Atlas activities, collecting, processing, validat- 
ing, distributing, and tracking tissue core biopsies and blood samples from the breast and prostate cancer pa- 
tients enrolled in the study. Specifically, the Unit will use an 11-step Sample Acquisition Pipeline that has already 
been developed under an existing IRB-approved protocol. Experience gained to date in obtaining 29 sets of core 
biopsies from 27 patients has supported the optimization of obtaining and maintaining informed consents, tissue 
preservation, database accessioning, tissue sectioning (frozen and paraffin-embedded), histopathologic evalu- 
ation, distribution to researchers, and tracking of all sections and other sample derivatives (e.g., nucleic acids, 
protein extracts). The Biospecimen Unit will build on this experience by pursuing the following Aims: 1) organizing 
the collection of tissue cores and blood samples from patients before and during treatment with specific targeted 
and/or immunotherapies; 2) implementing quality control procedures in the Acquisition Pipeline to ensure that 
only high quality specimens are provided for the construction of the OMS Atlas; and 3) processing, validating, 
tracking and distributing samples in a timely manner for analysis by the Characterization Unit. Patient accruals 
will be tracked through OHSU’s electronic Clinical Research Information system, while all specimens will be 
accessioned into the Biobank Enterprise Management System, which is a custom database that supports full 
tracking of all samples and derivatives using unique 10-digit identifiers/barcodes. Patient outcome data will be 
captured in electronic case report forms in a password-protected, encrypted, web-accessible electronic data 
capture system. The Biospecimen Unit will have specific benchmarks – to be closely monitored – for patient 
enrollment, successful completion of a first biopsy (minimum of 4 cores), and successful completion of a second 
biopsy, to achieve the final goal of 20 matched pairs (pre- and on/post-treatment) from each of the three groups 
of enrolled patients. It is anticipated that any leftover biospecimens or derivatives thereof will be made available 
to other researchers through the HTAN Tissue Coordination Center with appropriate IRB approval and informed 
consents for sample sharing.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10246895
- **Project number:** 5U2CCA233280-04
- **Recipient organization:** OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** George Victor Thomas
- **Activity code:** U2C (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $11,297
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-09-19 → 2023-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10246895

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10246895, Biospecimen Acquisition, Processing and Classification Unit (5U2CCA233280-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10246895. Licensed CC0.

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