UA Cancer Center Analytical Chemistry, Experimental Mouse, Tissue Acquisition & Cellular/Molecular Analysis Shared Resources

Overview of Services

The Analytical Chemistry Shared Resource (ACSR) provides Cancer Center investigators with centralized resources and expertise in performing analytical chemistry assays and pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic data analysis and interpretation. The Analytical Chemistry Shared Resource has been built around chromatography based instrumentation which provides the sensitivity and selectivity needed for the analysis of small molecules in pre-clinical drug discovery, chemical structure ID/confirmation, and analysis of inorganic chemicals.

Specifically, the ACSR has the following aims:

• To provide Cancer Center investigators with support in the development of chromatography-based analytical methods;
• To provide Cancer Center investigators with support in routine quantitative analysis of clinical and pre-clinical samples;
• To provide consultation in pharmacokinetic trial design and pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic data analysis.
• By continuing to provide state-of-the-art analytical and pharmacokinetic services, the ACSR laboratory should greatly augment pre-clinical drug discovery efforts and stimulate the incorporation of pharmacokinetic endpoints in clinical trials.

Services

• Consultation on study design including selection of existing assays and/or development of new assays
• Development and implementation of analytical chemistry methods for quantification of cancer therapeutic and preventive agents, nutrients, carcinogens, and endogenous biochemicals in biospecimens
• Quantitative analysis of cancer therapeutic and preventive agents, nutrients, carcinogens, and endogenous biochemicals in clinical and pre-clinical specimens
• Pharmacokinetic study design and pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic data analysis
• Targeted metabolomic analysis and untargeted metabolomic profiling
• Services provided by the ACSR are essential for the assessment of drug/nutrient/carcinogen exposure and disposition, and for the measurement of endogenous biochemicals as surrogate cancer-risk biomarkers and endpoint biomarkers in intervention studies. These measurements are indispensable in many established lines of research in the UACC, including preclinical and clinical evaluation of cancer therapeutic drugs and preventive interventions, assessment of biological, environmental, and lifestyle factors associated with cancer risk and disease progression, and identification of potential targets for intervention.

Equipment/Instruments

State-of-the-art equipment and sophisticated analytical chemistry techniques are provided by the ACSR to cover a broad variety of needs. Personnel are trained experts in the operation and maintenance of this equipment. They have the expertise to develop and optimize the appropriate methods. Available equipment includes:

• Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS)
• Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS)
• Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS)
• High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)
• Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography – Quadrupole/Time of
• Flight Mass Spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF)

The Experimental Mouse Shared Resource (EMSR) has provided expertise to The University of Arizona Cancer Center and outside investigators since 1993. Good Lab Practice (GLP) qualified since 2012, the EMSR offers a continuum of services from initial consultation and in vivo experimental design, mouse experimentation and data analysis. The EMSR enables the investigator to generate and use rodent models to their fullest potential, utilizing the service’s extensive knowledge and expertise at competitive pricing. The EMSR helps to develop cancer therapies that are efficient, cost effective, and clinically relevant. The EMSR is a full-service facility, which performs preclinical experiments in a wide variety of in vivo and in vitro cancer models. The team provides technical and scientific expertise in modeling of cancer disease and assists in developing efficient, cost effective, and clinically relevant drug therapies. Services provided:

• Animal techniques (drug testing, rodent acute toxicity, and pharmacokinetics)
• Patient-derived xenograft (PDX models)
• Surgeries (orthotopic injections, ovariectomy, window chambers, etc.)
• Mouse colonies maintenance
• Cell culture and mycoplasma testing
• Xenograft and GEM models tissue bank
• IACUC protocol support
• Administrative support

 Please remember to acknowledge the Cancer Center Support Grant (P30 CA023074) when publishing manuscripts or abstracts that utilized the services of the University of Arizona Cancer Center’s Shared Resources and/or were derived from CCSG pilot funds. Suggested language: "Research reported in this [publication/press release] was supported by the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health under award number P30 CA023074.

The Tissue Acquisition and Cellular / Molecular Analysis Shared Resource (TACMASR) provides services, technical support and access to instrumentation to University of Arizona Cancer Center (UACC) and University of Arizona (UA) researchers on a fee-for-service basis. We strive to maximize research dollars through customized, cost-effective, and quality-controlled services.TACMASR provides:

• Routine and special stain histology of paraffin and frozen section tissues and cells
• Automated immunohistochemical staining of cells and tissues
• Tissue acquisition and biobanking
• Organoid cultures (in development)
• Access to two confocal microscopes on a train-to-use basis
• Whole slide scanning service (brightfield color and fluorescence) COMING SOON

Leadership

Location and hours of operation

All of these shared resources are located in the University of Arizona Cancer Center building, 1515 N. Campbell Ave, Tucson AZ, 85724

*Analytical Chemistry Core is staffed 6am-3pm

Links and Resources

1. Analytical Chemistry Shared Resource
2. Experimental Mouse Shared Resource (EMSR)
3. Tissue Acquisition and Cellular/Molecular Analysis Shared Resource
4. The University of Arizona Cancer Center

Contacts