# Biospecimens Core

> **NIH NIH P50** · MAYO CLINIC ROCHESTER · 2024 · $336,496

## Abstract

BIOSPECIMEN AND PATHOLOGY CORE C – PROJECT SUMMARY
The Biospecimen and Pathology Core (Core C) collects and annotates biospecimens with clinical data to meet
the needs of the three Translational Research Projects, Developmental Research and Career Enhancement
Programs, and investigators engaged in hepatobiliary cancer research globally. Core C incorporates the Core
HB SPORE Registry and Biorepository, and additional biorepositories at Mayo Clinic and other institutions,
including the Genetics of Cholestatic Liver Diseases Registry (Dr. Konstantinos Lazaridis), Liver Transplant
Registry (Dr. Timucin Taner), and the Hepatobiliary Cancer Patient-Derived Xenograft (PDX) program (Dr. Mark
Truty). Core C coordinates with The Fibrolamellar Carcinoma Biorepository at Rockefeller University (Dr. Sanford
Simon). Core C provides sample accessioning and pathology support for early phase clinical trials as needed in
SPORE projects, coordinates with the Mayo Clinic Biospecimen Accessioning and Processing (BAP) Shared
Resource to process blood samples to genomic DNA and serum and plasma aliquots, and with the Pathology
Research Core (PRC) to provide tissue-based services, including frozen and paraffin sections,
immunohistochemistry (IHC), FISH, tissue microarray (TMA), and digital imaging. The Department of Surgical
Pathology facilitates acquisition of fresh tissue for research at the time of surgery. We have initiated a major
focus on diversity. The aims are:
Specific Aim 1. Provide clinically annotated blood-derived, bile, stool, and urine specimens.
Specific Aim 2. Provide clinically annotated frozen and formalin-fixed tissue specimens, histopathologic
characterization, and histology-related laboratory services.
Specific Aim 3. Provide clinically annotated fresh tissues, PDXs, organoids, cell lines and animal models.
Requests for biospecimens are reviewed by the SPORE Biospecimen Access Committee for Hepatobiliary
Cancers: (BAC-HEP), with priority access for the four SPORE Translational Research Projects, the
Developmental Research and Career Enhancement Programs, and other SPORE investigators.
Director: Dr. Michael Torbenson (Liver pathology). Focus is histology and pathology services including
detailed annotation of frozen and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue, IHC, and animal models.
Co-Director: Dr. Lewis Roberts (Hepatology). Focus is building collaborative network and agreements, IRB
protocol maintenance, coordination of consenting, abstraction, curating, and shipping of specimens.
Co-investigator: Dr. Zongming Chen (Liver Pathology). Focus is supporting pathology core services.
Co-investigator: Dr. Kirk Wangensteen (Hepatology). Focus is supporting registry and biorepository services.
All shared resources are available to all members of the worldwide scientific community if the appropriate ethical
and legal permissions are obtained, within the limits of specimen availability and project feasibility.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10935709
- **Project number:** 2P50CA210964-06A1
- **Recipient organization:** MAYO CLINIC ROCHESTER
- **Principal Investigator:** MICHAEL S TORBENSON
- **Activity code:** P50 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $336,496
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2018-09-10 → 2029-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10935709

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10935709, Biospecimens Core (2P50CA210964-06A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10935709. Licensed CC0.

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