PROJECT SUMMARY: BIOSPECIMEN SHARED RESOURCE The Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center (Sylvester) Biospecimen Shared Resource (BSSR) provides readily accessible, cost-effective, state-of-the-art biorepository resources, services, and expertise in support of oncology research. The aims of the BSSR are to 1) provide collection, processing, storage, and distribution of biospecimens; 2) maintain a clinically annotated database of the biorepository; 3) facilitate non-interventional trials (NITs) that involve biospecimen collection; and 4) provide education and training on design and conduct of biospecimen-focused projects. Proposed as a developing Shared Resource (SR) in Sylvester's 2018 CCSG, the BSSR has grown in scale and scope during the current reporting period (6/1/2018 to 5/31/2023), maturing into an essential research resource for members. The BSSR has a diverse collection of patient samples (e.g., tissue specimens, blood, and other biofluids), providing a readily accessible and cost-effective resource for facilitating translational cancer research. BSSR services include 1) screening, consenting, and enrolling patients for biospecimen collection studies; 2) plasma, buffy coat, serum, and peripheral blood mononuclear cell isolation and cryopreservation; 3) rapid acquisition of surgical tissue and fresh biopsies for development of patient-derived xenografts, cell cultures, and organoids; 4) clinical annotation, quality assessment and quality control of biospecimens; 5) construction of tissue microarrays; and 6) facilitating the retrieval and processing of tissue. The BSSR maintains an online clinically annotated database of its stored biospecimens. The facility also offers training, workshops, and seminars on best practices, innovative techniques, and the latest advances in biospecimen collection methodologies. As part of the 2019-2023 Sylvester Strategic Plan, the BSSR has continued to expand its services. In 2019, the BSSR expanded to facilitate NITs that involve biospecimen collection, providing protocol development and regulatory support, data management, participant recruitment and retention, and study-specific biospecimen acquisition, processing, and distribution. The BSSR collects samples in both inpatient and outpatient settings. During the reporting period, the BSSR enrolled 5,183 participants and collected 10,909 clinically annotated specimens, resulting in 31,490 banked samples. BSSR support for NITs resulted in 1,241 patients being enrolled into 11 investigator-initiated and ten collaborative studies. The BSSR supported the research of 67 investigators, including 42 members from all Research Programs, who comprised 74% of total BSSR usage by revenue. The BSSR supported 19 publications of members, 42% of which were in high-impact journals (JIF~10) and facilitated 28 cancer-relevant extramural grants awarded to members, including 9 NCI awards. In alignment with the 2024-2028 Sylvester Strategic Plan, the BSSR will expand support for l...