# Biospecimen Shared Resource

> **NIH NIH P30** · UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI SCHOOL OF MEDICINE · 2024 · $85,463

## Abstract

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...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10933331
- **Project number:** 2P30CA240139-06
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
- **Principal Investigator:** NIPUN B. MERCHANT
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $85,463
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2019-07-10 → 2029-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10933331

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10933331, Biospecimen Shared Resource (2P30CA240139-06). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10933331. Licensed CC0.

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