An essential feature of bringing research from the laboratory to the clinic is the ready availability of high quality and well preserved specimens of benign and malignant human tissue. The Centre`s Tissue Bank Director is pathologist Dr. Lesley Alpert M.D., Ph.D. She is assisted by Ms. Annie Woo, Msc.

In order to harvest tissue for the Bank, patient consent is required. Furthermore, before an investigator can make use of tissues, the proposed project must be presented to and sanctioned by the Research and Ethics Committee. The identity of the tissue donor remains confidential. Basic clinical and demographic data about the anonymous donor is held in an entirely separate database linked to the tissue bank specimens through a coded numerical system. In order to obtain anonymous information about the patient whose tissue is being examined, the Investigator must obtain approval from the Research and Ethics Committee.

Tissue samples are harvested within 30-60 minutes of their removal from a patient. Samples are taken only by a pathologist from areas of specimens which are deemed unnecessary for the standard pathology exam which is performed to establish diagnostic and prognostic information essential for patient care. Where possible, both neoplastic and nonneoplastic tissues are obtained. Tissues sampled for banking are snap frozen on dry ice or in cold isopentane or liquid nitrogen, and stored at -80 C in plastic vials labeled with a tissue bank number, the tissue of origin, and the diagnosis. A corresponding formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue sample is prepared for routine microscopic examination to confirm the tissue composition and quality of the sample. Some tissues are also fixed in 95% ethanol, methacarn or B5 fixatives prior to routine parrafin-embedding since certain antigens for immunohistochemical localization studies are better preserved in these solutions. Consequently, unfixed-frozen or fixed-paraffin-embedded material amenable to a variety of different investigative techniques is available for approved research projects.

The actual inventory of the Tissue Bank is only available to scientific members of the Centre. However, samples of common neoplasms are availble (i.e. lung, colon, breast), as well as less frequent neoplasms (i.e. kidney, thyroid, neuroendocrine, sarcomas) and benign/inflammatory conditions (i.e. fibroadenoma, inflammatory bowel disease). If you wish further information, or to discuss potential collaborations, please contact Dr. Lesley Alpert, Department of Pathology, Jewish General Hospital