# Core 3: Histology and Tissue Core

> **NIH NIH P01** · UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER · 2020 · $189,862

## Abstract

Abstract
 The overall objective of the Histology and Tissue Core is to serve as a central resource for collecting,
preserving, annotating and distributing tissues, and provide high quality services and experimental support to all
the projects. Given the inherent difficulties in obtaining large quantities of tissues from PC patients, we have
devised and instituted a Rapid Autopsy Program that is designed to harvest primary tumor and organs containing
all metastatic deposits of tumor from individuals who die of PC. The process we have instituted allows us to
harvest and rapidly freeze these tissues within 2-3 hours of death. This process is unique and highly innovative
as a tissue resource in that it allows us to capture the entire history disease progression for PC patients (from
intact primary tumor and remaining precursor lesions through to distant metastases at all locations). In principle,
we can reconstruct the entire organ from the freezer, which enables spatial distribution of multiple lesions and
affected areas. To date, UNMC has performed overall 113 pancreas cancer autopsies and 2 non-cancer
autopsies for a total of 115 autopsies as part of this effort. All rapid autopsy samples have been (and future
samples will be) evaluated for quality using number of procedures (Northern blot, Southern blot, RNA-seq, PCR,
SDS-PAGE, immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, immunofluorescence and other analyses with known
probes) as part of the function of the core. For the purposes of this application, the resource will provide pathology
support and high quality frozen samples, slides for frozen sections, formalin fixed tissues, and associated body
fluids (blood, serum and ascites) for all projects requiring tissues. The histology core will also be responsible for
the collection, processing and analysis of tumor tissues from animal models. The core will process, archive, and
cut tissue section and assist in the standardization of staining protocols. The core has expertise in the analysis
of malignant and benign pancreatic lesion including IPMNs, PanINs and PDAC and will be responsible to
determine the impact of gene alterations and/or therapeutic interventions, on tumor tissue architecture
(therapeutic response) and on non-target organs (Toxicology). In collaboration with the Animal Model and
Experimental Therapeutics Core (AMETC), the histology core will be involved in the archiving and cataloguing
of the specimens (tumor tissue, blood and other organs and body fluids) from patients and animal models. This
core is a centralized fully equipped laboratory for the tissue collection, processing, histology, and
immunohistochemistry work. It will be useful for all proposed projects and aims. The resource and service of this
core will be available for University of Nebraska Medical Center personnel, as well as outside institutions working
in pancreatic cancer. This service will bring much collaboration, integration and sharing reagents among the
pancrea...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9940740
- **Project number:** 5P01CA217798-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** SARAH P THAYER
- **Activity code:** P01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $189,862
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** — → —

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9940740

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9940740, Core 3: Histology and Tissue Core (5P01CA217798-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9940740. Licensed CC0.

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