NCI Program Project in Esophageal Carcinogenesis

Core C - Molecular Pathology & Imaging Core

Director:	Jonathan P. Katz, M.D.
Technical Director:	Adam Bedenbaugh
Research Specialists:	Daniela Budo
	Roxana Hasan, Ph.D.

The overarching objective of the Molecular Pathology & Imaging Core is to enhance the ability of the Program Project Leaders and their personnel to perform research utilizing morphologic techniques. The Morphology Core fulfills these through the following interrelated services, all of which have had historical success throughout the University of Pennsylvania.

1) Provide a meticulously organized technical service to the Program Project investigators. The Core processes, embeds, cuts and hematoxylin/eosin stains frozen and paraffin mouse and human tissues. The Core also performs special immunohistochemistry for investigators on cut tissue.

2) Support Program Project investigators through instruction of techniques and providing the reagents necessary to perform morphologic analysis of tissues and cells. The Morphology Core will assist Program Project Investigators in the procurement of tissues from animals and humans, provide instruction for in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry or immunocytochemistry and facilitate use of laser capture microscopy and confocal microscopy. There is photodocumentation of morphologic experiments. In addition, the Morphology Core has equipment, books, and a large reagent stock, all of which are available to the Program Project Investigators.

The utilization of services and facilities within the Morphology Core also provides an ongoing foundation for the promotion of scientific interactions between the Projects. It should be noted that the close geographic proximity between the Morphology and Molecular Biology/Gene Expression Cores provides a platform for synergy in resources and services between these facilities to benefit the Projects, especially a centralized tissue bank and database.