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PROFILE |
Judith Giri, PhD Director, BRAG Onc
Assistant Professor, Pathology
Member,
MCG Cancer Center
Cell & Molecular Biologist
BA, Hunter College
City University, NY
PhD, Rutgers University
Microbiology
CONTACT
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BRAG Onc is a TUMOR & TISSUE BANK for the state established in 2002 by the Georgia Cancer Coalition to support Cancer Research in Georgia |
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BRAG Onc State Participants
The following organizations are currently participating in BRAG Onc by providing samples and data for use by cancer investigators throughout the state.
EAST
Coordinating Center
Medical College of Georgia, Augusta
WEST CENTRAL
John B. Amos Cancer Center at Columbus Regional Medical Center, Columbus
METRO ATLANTA Dekalb Medical, Decatur
Piedmont Hospital, Atlanta
St. Joseph's Hospital, Atlanta (future site)
NORTHWEST
Hamilton Medical Center, Dalton (NW hub)
Redmond Medical Center, Rome
Floyd Medical Center, Rome Gordon Hospital, Calhoun
Hutcheson Medical Center, Fort Oglethorpe SOUTHWEST
Phoebe Medical Center, Albany (SW hub)
Archbold Medical Center, Thomasville
SOUTHEAST
Nancy N. and J.C. Lewis Cancer and Research Pavilion at St. Joseph's/Candler Health System, Savannah
Memorial Health System, Savannah |
NCI: Focus on Biorepositories
NCI has undertaken a multi-year process to define and deliver a new generation of quality evidence-based standards for biospecimens and biorepositories and established the new Office of Biorepositories and Biospecimen Research (OBBR). The goal of OBBR is to provide leadership in biobanking, with the aim of improving the quality of human biospecimens and biobanking operations nationally and internationally. The first guidelines for biorepositories from the NCI can be found at www.biospecimens.cancer.gov.
 Dr. Judith Giri attended the NCI's 2nd Annual Biospecimen Research Network (BRN) Symposium in Bethesda, MD in March. "Advancing Cancer Research Through Biospecimen Science" focused on the impact of pre-analytical biospecimen variables on cancer research and molecular medicine.
 BioBanking: A National Priority
A special Annual Issue of Time Magazine included "BioBanks" as one of 10 ideas changing the word.
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Annual Meeting
The International Society for Biological and Environmental Repositories (ISBER) has a large interest group focusing on human biobanks. Its international membership shares experiences to improve all functions of biorepositories. ISBER's May meeting in Portland, Oregon, is entitled "Celebrating a Decade of Growth in International Biorepository Excellence." Dr. Giri will make a presentation on BRAG Onc at this meeting. For information on ISBER, go to www.isber.org.
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Steering Committee To Set Standard Protocols & Policies
BRAG Onc's Steering Committee will meet this Spring in Atlanta to adopt uniform protocols for BRAG-Onc and formulate policies for access and distribution of specimens to Georgia investigators.The goal is to have these finalized and approved by Fall, 2009. Please contact Dr. Giri for further details: jgiri@mcg.edu |
BRAG-Onc Accrual Summary
Thanks to participating facilities, BRAG-Onc now has samples representing more than 2800 cancer patients in the state. MCG contributed 2093 specimens from donors, including a Bone Marrow Repository with samples from 388 patients.
Type of Specimens in BRAG Onc
All specimens are obtained with ethical consent; when feasible, matched samples of tissue and blood are obtained from the same donor.
Blood: serum, plasma and buffy coats
Tissue: tumor and adjacent "normal;" fast frozen (in LN) and fixed (Molecular friendly alcohol based and standard formalin)
Other biofluids on demand: saliva, urine, ascitic fluid
Cells: MNC from bone marrow and PB; collaborations for cell preservation (such as ovarian tumor cells from ascitic fluid)
Other services: DNA preparation, Tissue Microarrays
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QUALITY CONTROL FOR TISSUE |
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A representative section of tissue stored in the repository is reviewed by a Pathologist to ensure that the quality is appropriate for use in research.
A digital image is captured in the Aperio system. | |
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