NCI Blood Processing Core

The Blood Processing Core monitors viral load in patients with HIV and performs sequential studies using samples obtained from patients with cancer, AIDS, chronic granulomatous disease, or other diseases associated with immunologic dysfunction.

The core collects clinical specimens from inpatient units and clinics within the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center. We then oversee the processing and cryopreservation of human serum, plasma, peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and other specimens. Our technicians are also trained and qualified to execute preclinical animal protocols and routinely collect and process samples from animals.

The Blood Processing Core is part of the National Cancer Institute’s Clinical Pharmacology Program in the Center for Cancer Research. The Clinical Pharmacology Program is directly responsible for the pharmacokinetic analysis of numerous Phase I and II clinical trials conducted within the National Cancer.

Established Technologies

Sample collection

• Collect and process various biological specimens.
• Isolate or extract high-quality DNA.
• Process samples according to the clinical protocol, barcode them, and enter them into a database for sample handling, temperature monitoring, and storage purposes.
• Handle shipment of samples to intramural or extramural laboratories.

Clinical Pharmacology Program support

• Provide bioanalytical support (LC-MS) and pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) modeling and simulation of investigational agents or combination therapies to predict exposure-response in future trials.