Institutional Biospecimen Bank

Among the most valuable resources to our investigators is human tissue for use in basic science, translational, and clinical studies, and clinical trials.

The mission of the UNMC Institutional Biospecimen Bank (IBB) is to procure and coordinate distribution of fresh frozen human tissue in an optimal state of preservation for requesting investigators without impacting diagnostic quality, accuracy and safety in anatomic pathology. The IBB also offers sample management services, clinical trial specimen support and has certified shippers on staff. Additional services offered include biospecimen DNA or RNA extraction, sectioning of frozen tissues, short-term tissue culture, cytogenetic/molecular cytogenetic analysis, and tissue preparation via investigator-driven protocols. Learn more here.

Dr. Kurt Fisher is the director of the facility. A multidisciplinary oversight committee reviews tissue requests to prioritize and ensure equitable usage. The facility requires proper Institutional Review Board approval prior to release of human tissues for research purposes. The facility is staffed by highly skilled technologists with expertise in pathology, cytogenetics, and molecular biology. The facility can provide basic demographic and histopathologic information on samples through a confidential database so that findings from basic research can be correlated with clinical data while maintaining strict patient confidentiality.

For Basic Science and Translational Research

Acquisition: At the time of surgery

Facility: Pathology department or frozen section laboratory

Requirements:

Approved IRB protocol of study
Contact the research supervisor, Artem Pachikov

3. Clearance by the service director, Dr. Kurt Fisher

Institutional Biospecimen Bank Fee Schedule

Facility: Institution Biospecimen Bank Frozen Tissue Bank

Primary Technical Contact:

Research Supervisor: Artem Pachikov

Institutional Biospecimen Bank Fee Schedule

Facility: UNMC Paraffin Tissue Bank

Requirements:

Approved IRB protocol of study or exemption documentation
Contact the research supervisor, Artem Pachikov

Institutional Biospecimen Bank Fee Schedule

Facility: Slide Room/Histology

Requirements:

Cases must be >2 years old
Collaborate with a UNMC pathologist on study
Approved IRB protocol of study or exemption documentation
Contact the research supervisor, Artem Pachikov
Clearance by the service director, Dr. Kurt Fisher

Institutional Biospecimen Bank Fee Schedule

For Clinical Trials

Acquisition: At time of surgery

Facility: Pathology department or frozen section laboratory

Requirements:

Completion of clinical trials request form
Approved IRB protocol of study
Contact technical staff
- Research Supervisor: Artem Pachikov
Meeting with pathology staff prior to procedure(s) to coordinate logistics
Clearance by the service director, Dr. Kurt Fisher

Purpose: To be sent to external institutions

Facility: Slide Room/Histology

Requirements:

Prior approval from the service director, Dr. Kurt Fisher
Completion of clinical trials request form
Approved IRB protocol of study
Provide cost center associated with IRB for charges

Technical Staff:

Research Supervisor: Artem Pachikov

Our IBB Team

Kurt W. Fisher, MD, PhD

Associate Professor, UNMC Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology
Director, Institutional Biospecimen Bank, Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, UNMC
Full Member, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center

Send Email

Artem Pachikov

Supervisor

Send Email

Gary Dobesh

Research Technologist II

Send Email

Yimin Sun

Research Technologist I

Send Email

IBB Governance Committee

The UNMC Institutional Biospecimen Bank governance committee provides ethical, scientific, and strategic oversight of the institutional research biospecimen bank. The committee ensures that biospecimen collection, storage, use, sharing, and disposal are conducted in accordance with applicable laws, institutional policies, and best practices in biomedical research.

Committee Members

Dinesh Pradhan, MD, chair, Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology
Kurt Fisher, MD, PhD, vice chair and ex officio member, Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology
Surinder Batra, PhD, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Jie Chen, MD, PhD, Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology
Brittney Dickey, PhD, Epidemiology, College of Public Health
Quan Ly, MD, Surgical Oncology, Surgery
Shania McClure, MBA, ex officio member, Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology
Rusty McCullough, MD, Associate Vice Chancellor for Clinical Research
Nicole Shonka, MD, Hematology/Oncology, Internal Medicine
Saber Tadros, MD, PhD, ex officio member, Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology
Julie Vose, MD, Hematology/Oncology, Internal Medicine (LSG)
Shanxiang Zhang, MD, PhD, Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology

How to Cite Our Core Facility

Publications resulting from work performed in the Institutional Biospecimen Bank should include the core's Research Identifier (RRID).

"We recognize the use of the University of Nebraska Medical Center - Institutional Biospecimen Bank, RRID:SCR_027222, which receives support from the Buffett Cancer Center Support Grant P30CA03672, the State of Nebraska DHHS LB 595, the UNMC Vice Chancellor of Research, and the UNMC Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology."

This ensures proper recognition of the IBB's contributions, supports continued funding, and promotes transparency and reproducibility in research.