# Translational Pathology Core Laboratory Shared Resource (TPCL)

> **NIH NIH P30** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES · 2020 · $273,003

## Abstract

TRANSLATIONAL PATHOLOGY CORE LABORATORY SHARED RESOURCE (TPCL)
ABSTRACT
The Translational Pathology Core Laboratory (TPCL), a UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center (JCCC)
Shared Resource since 1998, provides pathology services critical for basic, translational, clinical, and population
cancer research. TPCL provides a College of American Pathologists accredited human tissue biobank, histology
(animal/human; frozen/formalin-fixed paraffin embedded), laser capture microdissection, immunohistochemistry
and in-situ hybridization services (established/new antibody optimization), and pathology consultation services.
TPCL connects cancer researchers with subspecialty pathologists and was an early adopter of digital pathology,
assisting with custom digital image analysis algorithms for complex evaluations of tissue sections.
TPCL provided essential services and materials for numerous, recent high-impact studies, including work
demonstrating that a sodium-glucose transporter is a potential diagnostic and therapeutic target in early-stage
lung adenocarcinoma, and that therapy-induced tumor secretomes promote resistance and tumor progression.
TPCL supports many clinical trials, including a recent UCLA-led investigator-initiated clinical trial of dual-cell
immunotherapy, combining a NY-ESO-1 specific T cell receptor adoptively transferred with NY-ESO-1 peptide-
pulsed dendritic cell vaccination, with or without ipilimumab-induced CTLA-4 blockade.
During 2013 – 2018, TPCL developed four-color multiplexed immunofluorescence (MIF) staining for the
Leica/Aperio slide scanner, which is a unique scanner capability, introduced nine-color MIF with a Perkin-Elmer
Polaris system, created processes to identify and retrieve remnant biofluids with customized clinical variables,
initiated a video universal electronic consent for biobanking, built research blood draw order capabilities within
routine clinical lab orders, collaborated on a UC Virtual Biobank, and added biofluid acquisition, processing and
storage. TPCL fees are similar to or lower than those of other cancer centers within Los Angeles County. During
the prior project period, 153 JCCC members from all six Research Programs used TPCL representing 69% of
overall usage. Their usage resulted in 334 publications, 49% of which were in high-impact (IF ≥10, or field
leading) journals. TPCL is centrally located to most JCCC labs and occupies ~6,400 sf.
TPCL Director Sarah Dry, MD (ZY), and Co-Directors Samuel French, MD, PhD (ZY) and Dawn Ward, MD, are
board-certified, practicing pathologists who conduct basic, translational, and clinical research. Since 2013, Dry
co-led the UCLA biobanking consent effort, with 39,700 consents in 24 months, using a novel video e-consent
process. Dry also initiated efforts leading to current TPCL collaborations with UC Davis on a University of
California (UC) Virtual Biobank.
Exciting future TPCL directions to support and benefit JCCC research include: (1) Automated IF/combined
IF/R...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9936718
- **Project number:** 2P30CA016042-44
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES
- **Principal Investigator:** Sarah M. Dry
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $273,003
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** — → —

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9936718

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9936718, Translational Pathology Core Laboratory Shared Resource (TPCL) (2P30CA016042-44). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9936718. Licensed CC0.

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