Overview of Services
The WVU-CI Biospecimen and Translational Analysis Core (BioTRAC) acquires and processes high-quality, accurately timed patient samples (e.g., blood, urine, tissue, etc). Sample processing is tailored to the needs of each investigator — from simple logging and storage to advanced procedures such as FFPE tissue processing or isolation of live immune cell populations.
Core functions include:
- Assisting with protocol design and sample collection timelines
- Developing and implementing specimen handling procedures
- Coordinating specimen and correlative data acquisition
- Serving as a liaison between clinicians and research teams
- Processing, storing, and shipping specimens
All samples are paired with robust, de-identified clinical data, including demographics, medical history, pathology, treatment characteristics, and long-term outcomes. This integration supports both translational and correlative analysis. For select studies, BioTRAC may also assist with patient consent.
BioTRAC staff provide linkage between biospecimens and the WVU Cancer Institute’s OnCore clinical trials management system. BioTRAC personnel also have secure access to WVU Medicine’s Epic electronic health record system, enabling the collection of protocol-specified patient information and creating a seamless translational bridge between the clinic and the laboratory.
Equipment
- Centrifuges
- Automated Cell Sorter
- Freezers (-80 °C and -20 °C)
- Microtome
- Cryostat
- Tissue Embedding Station
- Tissue Processor
Contacts
BioTRAC Director
Brian Boone, MD, FACS | brian.boone@hsc.wvu.edu | (304) 293-7095
BioTRAC Manager
Kristen Ranson, MS, ACRP-CP (she/her)
Biospecimen Manager- BioTRAC
WVU Cancer Institute
Office: 304-293-7380
Acknowledgments
Please remember to acknowledge support for the BioTRAC in all your publications:
Specimens were provided by the West Virginia University Biospecimen Translational Research Analysis Core (BIOTRAC) which has been supported by the WVU Cancer Institute and NIH grants P20GM103434 and U54GM104942.
