title: Developing a multidisciplinary prospective melanoma biospecimen repository to advance translational research.
abstract: Several challenges face the development and operation of a biospecimen bank linked to clinical information, a critical component of any effective translational research program. Melanoma adds particular complexity and difficulty to such an endeavor considering the unique characteristics of this malignancy. We describe here a review of biospecimen bank and our experience in establishing a multi-disciplinary, prospective, integrated clinicopathological-biospecimen database in melanoma. The Interdisciplinary Melanoma Cooperative Group (IMCG), a prospective clinicopathological and biospecimen database, was established at the New York University (NYU) Langone Medical Center. With patients' informed consent, biospecimens from within and outside NYU, clinicopathological data, and follow-up information are collected using developed protocols. Information pertaining to biospecimens is recorded in 35 fields, and clinicopathological information is recorded in 371 fields within 5 modules in a virtual network system. Investigators conducting research utilizing the IMCG biospecimen resource are blind to clinicopathological information, and molecular data generated using biospecimens are linked independently with clinicopathological data by biostatistics investigators. This translational research enterprise acts as a valuable resource to efficiently translate laboratory discoveries to the clinic.
authors: Lindsay G
authors: LG
authors: Wich
authors: Heather K
authors: HK
authors: Hamilton
authors: Richard L
authors: RL
authors: Shapiro
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Pavlick
authors: Russell S
authors: RS
authors: Berman
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Polsky
authors: Judith D
authors: JD
authors: Goldberg
authors: Eva
authors: E
authors: Hernando
authors: Prashiela
authors: P
authors: Manga
authors: Michelle
authors: M
authors: Krogsgaard
authors: Hideko
authors: H
authors: Kamino
authors: Farbod
authors: F
authors: Darvishian
authors: Peng
authors: P
authors: Lee
authors: Seth J
authors: SJ
authors: Orlow
authors: Harry
authors: H
authors: Ostrer
authors: Nina
authors: N
authors: Bhardwaj
authors: Iman
authors: I
authors: Osman