TDAAC is a resource designed to provide high quality controlled human tissue samples to VCU investigators as well as provide customized services to assist them in all tissue collection, consenting, and processing needs. 

The core represents a close collaboration within and between multiple disciplines and departments within VCUHS including the Massey Cancer Center and Departments of Pathology, Surgery, and Internal Medicine.

Mission

To provide support for biomedical research at VCU by maintaining and providing a bank of high quality human tissue samples* using best practice collection methodologies, maintaining appropriate patient protections, and integrating relevant clinical data. 

To provide support for customized tissue collection, consenting, and sample processing that meet the unique needs of the researcher.  

*This resource has been approved by the VCU IRB and is housed in a CLIA ’88 certified Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory in the VCU Department of Pathology and the Massey Cancer Center.

Overview of Services

• Quality controlled human residual tumor and hematopoietic samples (with limited clinical/histopathological annotation; genomic annotation on selected samples)
• Customized human tissue collection, handling, and informed consent services
• Processing of tissue and hematopoietic samples for specialized studies

Studies utilizing TDAAC resources should reference the Tissue and Data Acquisition and Analysis Core (TDAAC) in their publication acknowledgment section.  See TDAAC Publication Reference document.

TDAAC Google Form

If the form below does not load, make sure you are logged into Google or click this link to continue to the form.
The following form is available for researchers requesting TDAAC services.  Please fill out all fields marked with an *.  Once you complete the form, press submit, and the form will be emailed to TDAAC personnel. Upon receipt, we will promptly review your request and respond to you as quickly as possible. 

*Note: Other tissue/tumor types are in development and if you what you need is not listed, please contact the TDAAC manager at pamela.grizzard@vcuhealth.org

List of Available Tissue Types

TDAAC FY2023 Fee Schedule

Tissue Microarray Services

Performed utilizing the TMA Grand Master with PCR made by 3DHISTECH.

Learn more at https://www.3dhistech.com/research/tissue-microarrayers/tma-grand-master/

Please submit a Google form request above for access to currently available preconfigured TMA blocks and to request customized TMA blocks of investigator provided tissue.

Tissue Bank Sample Utilization

1. Provide quality controlled residual human tissue and hematopoietic samples to VCU investigators¹
1. Each sample has the following:²
   1. Informed patient consent
   2. Tissue quality control (QC) processing performed by evaluating H&E stained slides for histopathological parameters and diagnostic correlation
   3. Basic clinical annotation
   4. QC of extracted RNA
2. Human TISSUE samples provided in the following forms:
   1. RNA aliquots
   2. Tissue shavings
   3. Other (specified by investigator)
3. Human HEMATOPOIETIC samples provided in the following forms:
   1. Cryopreserved mononuclear cell aliquots

<sup>1. See Tissue Types Quantity for more information on the types of specimens in the tissue bank        
2. All information pertaining to TDAAC banked samples stored in a SQL 2000   database with an Access 2000 front end.</sup> 

Specimen Acquisition & Patient Informed Consent

1. Provide customized human tissue and hematopoietic sample acquisition
   1. Services may include:
      1. Collection of fresh samples to meet specific protocol needs
      2. Retrieval, freezing, and storage of specimens
      3. Transfer of specimens to central study facilities
2. Assist in obtaining informed consents for IRB-approved protocols

Sample Processing

1. Provide customized human and non-human sample tissue and hematopoietic processing
   1. Services may include:
      1. Mononuclear cell separation and cryopreservation of hematopoietic samples
      2. Frozen or H&E stained OCT embedded tissue sections
      3. Formalin Fixed Paraffin Embedded (FFPE) tissue sections
      4. Other (specified by investigator or clinical trial protocol)

 Access to Human Tissue and Hematopoietic Samples

While TDAAC banked samples have been acquired under a VCU approved IRB protocol with informed consent, human experimentation regulations require that investigators desiring access to these samples proceed through one the following three routes. TDAAC faculty and staff (below) can offer some guidance in this matter if an investigator requests.

1. IRB approved protocol from an ongoing research protocol
2. Exemption approved by the IRB
3. Obtain an Anonymization agreement