Biospecimen procurement through the UCSF Tissue Core
Liver Center members wishing to collect and process fresh biospecimens for their research can seek assistance from the UCSF Tissue Core. The Tissue Core is particularly useful for investigators needing to collect fresh biospecimens from patients undergoing surgery. Tissue Core staff will work directly with Liver Center members to fulfill their IRB-approved specimen collection needs. This reduces the need for individual faculty to dispatch their own research staff to the operating room. Importantly, Tissue Core staff are trained to coordinate and fulfill the needs of many investigators simultaneously. This ensures reliable and efficient tissue collection for all interested scientists, with minimal interruption to the surgical team.
The Tissue Core can also process and store biospecimens collected from outpatients. They have an established workflow for transporting and receiving specimens from the Parnassus and Mission Bay campuses.
The Tissue Core uses the Labvantage laboratory information management system (LIMS) and will help Liver Center investigators use this system to coordinate clinical data with biospecimens. They also offer long-term biospecimen storage, and will coordinate retrieval and shipment of samples outside UCSF when necessary.
To learn more about how the Tissue Core can help you with biospecimen collection, click here.
UCSF pricing for Tissue Core services can be found here. The Liver Center discounts this service for its members by subsidizing a portion of the cost of biospecimen collection and sotrage. If you wish to receive the Liver Center discount, please contact the Liver Center administration here before scheduling work.
