Shared Resources

To see registration guidelines for the following shared resources facilities, go to the registration form.

Biorepository

The Biorepository contains plasma, serum, RNA stabilized buffy coat, urine, viable tumor samples, and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumor; all with associated clinical information.

Biostatistics / Bioinformatics

Consultation and collaboration in study design and data collection. Statistical analysis and the provision of assistance to researchers in the preparation of manuscripts for peer-reviewed journals are key elements of assuring high quality research.

Clinical Trials Office

Facilitates clinical cancer research in a variety of critical areas, including consulting with investigators about the design of high quality studies. The CTO also coordinates and maintains the records required for cooperative group studies, as well as all cancer-related industrial, therapeutic and non-therapeutic protocols at UCSD.

DNA Sequencing

Convenient access to high quality DNA sequencing is essential to the research productivity of cancer investigators. In addition, expert consultation is available to solve difficult sequencing problems relating to particular runs of bases in some parts of the genome.

Flow Cytometry

Flow cytometers and cell sorting machines are now regarded as standard, essential equipment to provide a powerful means for collecting data on cell populations of statistically reliable size and, utilizing magnetic technology, sorting living cells that are present as minor subpopulations.

Histology & Immunohistochemistry

All research workers studying topics relevant to the cancer problem need ready, affordable access to high quality histological and immunohistochemical technical services and to expert histopathological and embryological advice.

iCys Research Imaging Cytometer

This is a laser-scanning cytometer that uses laser-based opto-electronics and automated analysis capabilities to simultaneously and rapidly measure biochemical constituents and evaluate cell morphologies. The equipment provides simultaneous acquisition of multiple-fluorescence and brightfield laser-scattered images from as many as 3 lasers and 5 multiplexed light sensors.

In Vivo Imaging

The IVISR provides optical, CT, ultrasound, Hi Res planar gamma imaging, and PET of mice and rats, as well as high-resolution digital autoradiography and fluorescent imaging of thin whole body rodent sections. Support and expertise includes imaging physics, biological applications, animal support, image computation, optical hardware and software, diagnostic agent chemistry, preparation of F18 and C-11 labeled radiotracers, and kinetic modeling.

Laser Capture Microdissection

A new, more effective, and easy to use Laser Capture Microdissection platform: The microscope has far superior optics to any previous laser capture system, and control of laser cutting and selection is simple and accurate.

Medicinal Chemistry

The service offers in-house expertise to produce such agents from the design stage though the synthesis and characterization on a non-GMP basis.

Microarray

Performs gene expression profiling in which the activity of many thousands of genes are measured simultaneously. Also provides complete biochemical, hybridization, and scanning services as well as consultation in experimental design and data mining.

Microscopy

Provides high-resolution deconvolution microscopy, digital epi-fluorescence and brightfield microscopy, quantitative image analysis, cell microinjection and resulting biological analyses, and photo-production.

Nutrition

Detailed dietary and nutritional assessment, including quantitative measurements of biochemical indicators of diet and other biomarkers in blood and other biological samples, for investigators conducting studies that address nutritional or dietary factors in cancer prevention and treatment. Also provides counseling service for promoting dietary change to improve nutritional status and to modify health risk factors linked to cancer.

Radiation Medicine

An opportunity to pursue an interactive approach to the determination of intrinsic radiation sensitivity to ionizing radiation in vitro, as well as mathematical modeling of survival parameters.

Transgenic Core

Transgenic and genetically deficient mice are widely used to study the process of malignant transformation, tumor suppressor genes, chemoprevention, carcinogensesis, and organ-specific cancers.  This facility is highly proficient in the creation of both transgenic mice and knockout mouse strains.