Samples

The Crimson Core provides samples for a variety of clinical and research needs.

Prospective Sample Collection: Queries may be designed to identify discarded samples from the Clinical Laboratories that meet specific requirements.

To initiate prospective collections:

  1. Submit a Crimson Request Form.
  2. Discuss needs with core staff who will indicate documentation needed and how to optimally design queries to find appropriate samples.

Clinical Trials and Research Sample Processing: The core handles consented patient samples for processing, storage or shipment. 

  • Dedicated staff to handle research processing.
  • Ability to ship to external locations as defined in a study’s IRB protocol, or store samples onsite for study-specific repositories.

To request sample processing services, the following are needed:

  1. IRB, IACUC (if animals) or Biosafety protocol under which materials are or will be collected.
  2. Any sponsor documentation for processing.
  3. Submit the Crimson Request Form.
  4. Core staff will follow-up to discuss, and coordinate needs for sample collection and handling.

Open Banks: Local investigators may access materials in repositories maintained by the Core.

The core maintains the following open banks:

  • Microbial Isolates: From clinical microbiology testing and the core’s strain bank
  • ‘Normal’ serum and plasma
  • CLIA validation sets: Sets of samples meeting parameters for defined values from CLIA testing.
  • Apheresis Leukoreduction Collars: Byproduct of platelet donation that provides high numbers of viable white blood cells (WBCs).
  • Other blood bank byproducts or expired units: For RBCs, plasma or platelets.

To request materials from open banks:

  1. Submit the Crimson Request form.
  2. Bank staff will contact you regarding your request and documentation that will be needed.