The Human Biosamples Core is dedicated to providing JBC members with a vibrant, evolving infrastructure that efficiently brings BWH and Boston Children’s Hospital resources together as a unified biospecimen pipeline. This complex task is led by a team expert in patient identification, recruitment, phenotyping, data management/analysis, and project management.
The aims of the Human Samples Core are:
- To provide access to existing resources available at BWH and Boston Children’s Hospital which offer high-quality biospecimens from well-phenotyped arthritis patients and key controls. We offer a stream-lined process which enhances access to existing archives and clinic patients recruited from two of the nation’s largest rheumatology programs, BWH and Boston Children’s Hospital.
- To access large institutional cohorts as a source of banked and fresh biosamples. Obtaining institutional samples are often poorly understood, even to local investigators. We enhance awareness as well as familiarity in order to reduce dramatically the “activation energy” that stands in the way of effective utilization of samples for our JBC investigators.
- To provide a rigorous methodologic platform to test hypotheses using advanced bioinformatics. Members of the JBC team are world leaders in the extraction of data from the electronic medical record (EMR) and in the application of bioinformatics strategies to large datasets. We take advantage of this expertise to ensure optimal identification and utilization of phenotype data associated with JBC samples.
- To educate via seminars and the JBC Synergy Meetings. JBC members are invited to attend and present at a weekly research in progress conference of the BWH Section of Clinical Sciences that serves as a key educational and brainstorming forum for rheumatology investigators. Additionally, members are also invited to attend monthly didactic seminars led by research faculty within the Section. Methodology Core staff also present regularly at the JBC Synergy Meeting as part of the JBC educational curriculum.
