# CORALE-SeroNet Recruitment and Biobanking Core

> **NIH NIH U54** · CEDARS-SINAI MEDICAL CENTER · 2022 · $396,401

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT for the Recruitment and BioBanking Core 
The Recruitment and Biobanking Core (RBC) will serve as a Resource Support Core for 3 full Research 
Projects. This core provides a standardized system for patient identification and recruitment, longitudinal follow- 
up using active and passive methodologies, biospecimen collection, tracking, processing, storage, and 
distribution; access to state-of-the-art laboratory technologies provided in Core 2; linkage to medical records and 
other relevant external databases; computational and statistical support; and enables future research in 
collaboration with SeroNET and beyond. Importantly, this core leverages already implemented cutting-edge 
initiatives underway at Cedars-Sinai, namely: (1) Biobanking Research Protocol that universally permits patients 
to participate in research by utilizing and storing their biospecimens and conducting follow-up procedures for 
research purposes; (2) Cedars-Sinai Accelerator which has funded start-up companies (e.g., Hawthorne Effect) 
to develop and implement integrated technological platforms to provide timely, accurate data from patients as 
well as networks to facilitate remote data and biospecimens collections; and (3) Cedars-Sinai’s Employee Cohort 
that has conducted timely repeated questionnaire assessments, repeated biospecimen collection and repeated 
SARS-CoV-2 testing on >6,000 Essential Health Care Workers. The RBC will merge these activities into a 
centralized approach with the following goals: 1. Expand Recruitment and Prospective Follow-Up: Cedars-Sinai 
COVID-19 Risk Associations and Longitudinal Evaluation (CORALE) study leverages the expansive Cedars- 
Sinai network including two large medical centers and multiple outpatient clinics. The fully integrated Epic based 
electronic health record (EHR), known as CS-Link, allows for rapid connection with over >1M individuals and 
permits digital enrollment, consent and data entry and tracking via a virtual patient portal. Cedars-Sinai’s diverse 
catchment area in central Los Angeles allows a unique opportunity, unparalleled in other parts of the U.S., to 
bring together large diverse populations (including large numbers of Hispanics/Latinos and African Americans). 
Electronic communication, data entry and remote biospecimen collection capabilities enable rapid and cost- 
efficient longitudinal follow-up. 2. Biospecimen Collection, Processing and Storage: We will collect, process, 
store, and track all biospecimens using LabvantageTM, a user-friendly laboratory tracking system already 
implemented and supported directly by the Cedars-Sinai Biobank and Translational Research Core Laboratory. 
3. Data Management, Linkage and Analyses: We will link demographic, clinical, epidemiologic, and outcomes 
data from our centralized EHR with the biospecimens and participant reported data. Our bioinformatic and 
computational shared resources will provide analytical support. 4. Expand Capacities ...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10688396
- **Project number:** 4U54CA260591-02
- **Recipient organization:** CEDARS-SINAI MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Jane C. Figueiredo
- **Activity code:** U54 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $396,401
- **Award type:** 4N
- **Project period:** 2020-09-30 → 2025-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10688396

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10688396, CORALE-SeroNet Recruitment and Biobanking Core (4U54CA260591-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10688396. Licensed CC0.

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