Biospecimen processing

Photograph showing test tubes with droppers

The services that the Biospecimen Accessioning and Processing Core provides start with a consultation. Trained staff members are available to meet with the study team to consult on study-specific services. The consultation can include specimen collection, aliquoting strategy and storage, and sample requirements for downstream analysis.

Customer support

The core's customer support team works with study staff during the study build process to ensure that the study flows smoothly and the core performs appropriate services to meet the study's goals. Having comprehensive and accurate information about the study requirements before the start ensures that the study is built quickly and efficiently.

Services include:

  • Assessing the study requirements for sample processing to determine if the Biospecimen Accessioning and Processing Core can meet study needs.
  • Coordinating the lab manual with core workflows to ensure that the core applies appropriate services.
  • Coordinating clinical lab testing on research samples.

Sample accessioning

The core tracks accessioned specimens with the Research Laboratory Information Management System, so each specimen is associated with patient data. This accessioning serves as a front door to route specimens for downstream services. This includes core laboratories focused on gene expression, genotyping, next-generation sequencing, proteomics and cytogenetics.

Sample processing

Blood and bodily fluids can be centrifuged and fractionated manually or by automation. Reagents can be added to the resulting fractions, which are then typically stored frozen.

Nucleic acid extraction

  • DNA purification: DNA can be purified from fresh or frozen whole blood, white blood cells, frozen tissue, paraffin-embedded tissue, cultured cells, buccal cells, and saliva collected in an Oragene kit. Cell-free DNA extraction from plasma also is available. Total and double-stranded DNA are quantified using a spectrophotometer. The concentration and volume are tracked in the Research Laboratory Information Management System.
  • RNA purification: RNA can be purified from whole blood collected in a PAXgene Vacutainer and from frozen tissue, paraffin-embedded tissue and cultured cells. The RNA is quantified using a spectrophotometer, with the quality determined using a bioanalyzer. The core tracks concentration, volume and RNA integrity number in the Research Laboratory Information Management System.

Plating and sample transfer

The Biospecimen Accessioning and Processing Core provides project-based plating services depending on the number of samples in the request and the type of container the samples are aliquoted into. Projects must be submitted to the core's nucleic acid extraction plating and aliquoting team.

PBMC isolation

The core performs cryopreservation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells and stores them in liquid nitrogen. Samples for peripheral blood mononuclear cell processing are collected in a sodium heparinized (NaHep or green top) blood tube. The study build process includes lab manual review and identification and documentation of the peripheral blood mononuclear cell processing requirements in the protocol spreadsheet. Samples are routed to the peripheral blood mononuclear cell processing area when accessioning is complete and processed according to the protocol spreadsheet instructions.