Histopathology, Processing, and Banking Core

Overview of Services

PROCESSING AND BANKING CORE

PROCESSING AND BANKING

The Biospecimen Processing and Banking core provides a full range of biobanking services for researchers wishing to enhance their biospecimen collection and research efforts. Services include biospecimen accessioning, processing, nucleic acid extraction and quality control, banking, distribution, redaction of personally identifiable information, and digital pathology. 

Researchers are encouraged to include the Biospecimen Processing and Banking core staff in the planning stages of their proposal as core staff can assist with creating a budget, reviewing feasibility, and lending their biobanking proficiency to ensure quality outcomes. The core can handle a wide variety of biospecimen types and maintain the flexibility needed to accommodate the unique needs of each project.

The Biopathology Center's molecular laboratory supports the nucleic acid extraction and quality control for the Biospecimen Processing and Banking Core and is accredited by the College of American Pathologists (CAP) Laboratory Accreditation Program and certified by CLIA for clinical testing. Other areas of the core are CAP-accreditated under their Biorepository Accrediation Program.

In addition, the Biopathology Center and the Biospecimen Processing and Banking Core is an active member of the International Society for Biological and Environmental Repositories (ISBER), and follows the highest standards to ensure the quality of specimens in the repository. Specimens are stored in liquid nitrogen, -80°C freezers, -20°C freezers, and 4°C refrigerators, which are monitored continuously to prevent the loss of these invaluable tissue samples.

DIGITAL PATHOLOGY SLIDE SCANNING

Digital Pathology offers histologic slide scanning services using Aperio scanners. The whole slide images can be generated at either 20X or 40X magnification.

RESEARCH FREEZER SERVICES

In addition to banking services offered by the Processing and Banking Core, researchers can store existing specimen collections by rack or entire freezer.

HISTOPATHOLOGY CORE

The Histopathology Core provides services in histology and routine transmission electron microscopy (TEM).

HISTOLOGY

The histology section of the core is accredited by the College of American Pathologists (CAP). It provides basic services such as tissue preparation and embedding, paraffin block or frozen tissue sectioning, and H&E staining. The core provides additional services such as direct and indirect immunohistochemical staining, selected histochemical stains, serial sectioning and RNase-free handling. Core personnel have extensive experience in tissue microarray construction. The lab is equipped with an MTA-1 manual Beecher TMA arrayer.

TEM

Routine TEM procedures such as fixation, embedding, and sectioning are available. The core utilizes a Hitachi H-7650 Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) with two digital cameras. Magnification ranges from 0.7K up to 200K. The imaging software is AMtv542.

Leadership

Dr. Diana Thomas, MD, PhD | Medical Director, Histopathology Core | Pathology Operations Director, Biopathology Center | Diana.Thomas@NationwideChildrens.org | 614-722-3705

Jay Bowen | Histopathology Core Director | Jay.Bowen@NationwideChildrens.org | 614-722-5302

Megan Welling | Processing and Banking Core Supervisor | Megan.Welling@nationwidechildrens.org | 614-355-3095

David Hart | Histopathology Core Supervisor | David.Hart@nationwidechildrens.org | 

Location and hours of operation

 Links and Resources

1. http://www.nationwidechildrens.org/morphology-core

Contacts