# Tissue and Research Pathology Services

> **NIH NIH P30** · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · 2022 · $125,666

## Abstract

Abstract: Tissue and Research Pathology Services (TARPS)
One of the essential components of any translational research investigation is the availability of high quality,
appropriately selected human biospecimen samples. The Hillman Cancer Center (HCC) recognized the value
of a good, systematic, scientifically, and ethically correct biospecimen repository more than 18 years ago and
implemented a system-wide initiative for tissue and biological specimen accrual with the establishment of the
Tissue and Research Pathology Service (TARPS) Shared Resource under the umbrella of the University of
Pittsburgh (Pitt) resource also known as the Pitt Biospecimen Core (formerly the Health Sciences Tissue
Bank). TARPS has been housed and extensively supported by HCC and the Department of Pathology. This
has led to the development of a well-organized biospecimen resource, providing high-quality, well-banked
specimens with extensive database support providing the clinical annotation so essential to good research.
TARPS is a CAP-certified biorepository and serves as the central hub, acquiring and triaging biospecimen
materials and de-identified patient information. It is currently housed within the Department of Pathology
diagnostic evaluation facilities, thus providing immediate access to specimens and patient information of
interest. The resource has Pathologist administrative oversight and medical supervision at the three flagship
hospitals (Presbyterian, Shadyside, Magee), and the largest community hospital (Passavant), with plans in
progress to add Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh later in 2019.
At HCC, TARPS has played an instrumental role in supporting multi-investigator and multi-institutional efforts
including: The Cancer Genome Atlas Project (TCGA); the caHUB project as a funded site for the Biospecimen
Pre-analytical Variables (BPV) task order; the NCI’s Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium (CPTAC),
SPOREs in lung, head and neck, melanoma and skin, and ovarian cancers and many other collaborative team
science projects. In FY2019, 65 out of 121 users were HCC members representing 6 CCSG research
programs (CB, CEP, CII, CT, CV and GS). Usage was stable from 79% to 91% between 2015 and 2019.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10474520
- **Project number:** 5P30CA047904-34
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH
- **Principal Investigator:** RAJIV DHIR
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $125,666
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1997-09-10 → 2025-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10474520

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10474520, Tissue and Research Pathology Services (5P30CA047904-34). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10474520. Licensed CC0.

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