Biorepository and Tissue Analytics Shared Resource (BTASR)

The Biorepository and Tissue Analytics Shared Resource supports cancer research by providing MCW Cancer Center members with human tissues and other biospecimens, biospecimen processing services and expertise, and histopathology and advanced tumor analytics.

Scheduling, Location, and Hours of Operation

Biorepository: Dynacare Building, lower level
Tissue Analytics: Translational and Biomedical Research Center, 4th floor
Monday–Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Submit a BTASR iLab request

Services and Technologies

BTASR provides a broad range of biospecimen services, including standard and custom processing, leading-edge digital pathology analytics, clinical trial support, and storage.

CLIA-compliant and accredited by the College of American Pathologists, BTASR ensures quality operation and access to meticulously collected and quality-controlled specimens, vetted protocols, standard operating procedures, and knowledgeable, highly-trained staff.

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Tumor Tissues and Biofluids
  • Frozen/fresh tumor tissue for PDX, ex vivo explants/organoids, cell lines
  • Viable bone marrow, blood, cord blood
Multiplex Quantitative IF-Histocytometry
  • Solid tumor immunoprofiling
  • Quantitative multiplex IF imaging
  • Tissue processor, microtomes, embedding stations, autostainer, and coverslipper
  • Agilent Dako Omnis; Leica Bond Rx
  • 3DHistech Pannoramic Flash (bright field and IF); Akoya PhenoImager (7-9 color IF scanner)
  • Software: Tissue Studio, Akoya inForm, QuPath
Nucleic Acid (RNA/DNA) Purification
  • Frozen tissue: QIAGEN column purification
  • FFPE tissue: Purigen Ionic isotachophoresis 
Storage Services
  • Data logging and barcoding of samples
  • Monitored cryostorage

Leadership

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Steven Kroft, MD

Director, Biorepository and Tissue Analytics Shared Resource

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Mary Rau

Biorepository Manager

mrau@mcw.edu

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Yunguang Sun, MD, PhD

Tissue Analytics Manager

ysun@mcw.edu

Notable Publications

Frequent upregulation of HER2 protein in hormone-receptor-positive HER2-negative breast cancer after short-term neoadjuvant endocrine therapy. (Chaudhary LN, Jorns JM, Sun Y, Cheng YC, Kamaraju S, Burfeind J, Gonyo MB, Kong AL, Patten C, Yen T, Cortina CS, Carson E, Johnson N, Bergom C, Tsaih SW, Banerjee A, Wang Y, Chervoneva I, Weil E, Chitambar CR, Rui H) Breast Cancer Res Treat 2023 Oct;201(3):387-396 PMID: 37460683 PMCID: PMC10795510 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85164922339 7/18/2023

High PD-L2 Predicts Early Recurrence of ER-Positive Breast Cancer. (Chervoneva I, Peck AR, Sun Y, Yi M, Udhane SS, Langenheim JF, Girondo MA, Jorns JM, Chaudhary LN, Kamaraju S, Bergom C, Flister MJ, Hooke JA, Kovatich AJ, Shriver CD, Hu H, Palazzo JP, Bibbo M, Hyslop T, Nevalainen MT, Pestell RG, Fuchs SY, Mitchell EP, Rui H) JCO Precis Oncol 2023 Jan;7:e2100498 PMID: 36652667 PMCID: PMC9928763 1/19/2023

NSG-Pro mouse model for uncovering resistance mechanisms and unique vulnerabilities in human luminal breast cancers. (Sun Y, Yang N, Utama FE, Udhane SS, Zhang J, Peck AR, Yanac A, Duffey K, Langenheim JF, Udhane V, Xia G, Peterson JF, Jorns JM, Nevalainen MT, Rouet R, Schofield P, Christ D, Ormandy CJ, Rosenberg AL, Chervoneva I, Tsaih SW, Flister MJ, Fuchs SY, Wagner KU, Rui H) Sci Adv 2021 Sep 17;7(38):eabc8145 PMID: 34524841 PMCID: PMC8443188 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85115168052 9/16/2021