# Cancer Biospecimen Acquisition & Biorepository

> **NIH NIH P30** · ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE · 2020 · $90,786

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY - CANCER BIOSPECIMEN ACQUISITION AND BIOREPOSITORY RESOURCE
The goal of the AECC Cancer Biospecimen Acquisition and Biorepository shared resource (CBABR) is
to provide a centralized unit that meets the best practices of the NCI for the acquisition, storage and distribution
of high-quality biospecimens for cancer research. The CBABR oversees the procurement of malignant, benign,
diseased and uninvolved (normal) tissues from both solid and hematological cancers for use by AECC
investigators. The specimens acquired derive from the highly diverse minority Bronx population served by
the Montefiore Health System. The CBABR has consolidated multiple federated cancer-associated
institutional biobanks into a cohesive cancer tissue acquisition and storage biobank, and now serves as a
unified resource for prospective sample collection. The CBABR is a joint effort of AECC, the Einstein CTSA
and other NIH-funded centers at Einstein, and is supported by several Institutional initiatives, including a
universal, opt-in consent process in use at Montefiore Medical Center. The CBABR has dedicated staffing for
tissue acquisition in cooperation with Surgical Pathology, Clinical Research Informatics support linking samples
to medical and research records, and dedicated secure storage space utilizing the most advanced, energy-
efficient freezer technology. A web-based application has been developed that allows investigators to
determine the availability in the CBABR of tissue with the necessary phenotypic characteristics for their studies.
Sample types include fresh and frozen tissues, blood, urine, other biofluids and FFPE slides. The CBABR
currently houses 195,000 samples, representing 45% of all biorepository samples. In the last year, AECC
investigators accounted for 100% of fresh tissue collection and distribution, and 97% of the total tissues
distributed. The CBABR process encompasses patient-informed consent at initial cancer evaluation,
centralized management of specimen collection, processing and storage, and multiple levels of security and
protection of the resource, including 24/7 monitoring and alarmed, redundant backups. The Protocol Review
and Monitoring Committee (PRMC) evaluates scientific and technical merit of applications for use of
biospecimens and, when necessary, prioritizes proposed tissue usage. Mechanisms for requested
collaborations from outside investigators for use of banked tissues have been established. AECC participates
in the NCI Early Onset Malignancy Initiative, supports specific NCI-sponsored tissue acquisition studies, such
as DCP-002 and P9846 (PDX), and serves as the resource for procuring and processing archival tissue
required for integral and integrated biomarker studies in NCORP trials. Ongoing institutional initiatives include
further dissemination of the universal opt-in consent procedures, and automating linkage of patient medical
and health information that is annotated to the biospecimens.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9998874
- **Project number:** 5P30CA013330-48
- **Recipient organization:** ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
- **Principal Investigator:** DANIEL T STEIN
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $90,786
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1997-06-01 → 2022-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9998874

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9998874, Cancer Biospecimen Acquisition & Biorepository (5P30CA013330-48). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9998874. Licensed CC0.

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