North Carolina Tissue Consortium

Mission

The North Carolina Tissue Consortium (NCTC), an IRB-approved tissue bank, is supported by the University Cancer Research Fund which was established by the NC General Assembly to accelerate the battle against cancer. The objective of the NCTC is to facilitate cancer-related research by providing a means through which normal and malignant tissue specimens are procured, processed, stored, and distributed to researchers while protecting the rights and confidentiality of participants. We also provide consultations on or as needed basis to help identify and target specimen collection so as to meet the specific research needs of investigators at ECU.

Location

We are in the Brody School of Medicine in the Division of Surgical Oncology. Our address is as follows:

Brody Medical Sciences Building
Suite 4S-16
Mail Stop 639
Greenville, NC 27834-4354

Contact Information

Informed Consent and Privacy

Patients with or suspected of having cancer and undergoing cancer related surgery or procedure will be presented with the opportunity to participate in this tissue banking study. An informed consent document, approved by the University and Medical Center Institutional Review Board (UMCIRB), will be signed by all patients who elect to donate their tissue to the NCTC.

Collection, Procurement, and Storage

Tissue will only be procured after the amount of specimen needed for diagnostic purposes has been determined. Preparations of fresh, snap-frozen, and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue, and H&E-stained slides are available. Blood or other body fluid samples may also be procured upon request by investigators. Samples may be annotated with patient demographics, such as age or age range, gender, race, height, weight etc. A de-identified pathology report may be provided, if available and requested.

Request for Specimens

All investigators requesting tissue, blood, or other body fluids must submit a written proposal to the NCTC detailing the need and use of the specimen, including an abstract of the study, and documentation of IRB determination. The NCTC Use Committee will review the proposal for feasibility and scientific integrity.

Please Contact NCTC Director Kathryn Verbanac, PhD, or Research Specialist Moses McDaniel to discuss any questions you may have related to specific research needs.

Specimen types available (malignant tissue):

Pricing

Please contact the NCTC for current pricing of services offered.

Resources

• Frequently Asked Questions (PDF)
• Research Agreement for studies with expedited review and approval (Word)
• Research Agreement for studies classified as exempt (Word)
• Research Agreement for studies classifies as not human subject (PDF)
• ECU University & Medical Center Institutional Review Board
• University Cancer Research Fund
• UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center
• UNC Lineberger Tissue Procurement Core Facility