Precision Neuropathology Core

The Precision Neuropathology Core provides diagnostic expertise, facilitates research, teaches and mentors trainees, and develops innovative research approaches to Alzheimer’s disease. Members of the Precision Neuropathology Core examine targeted spinal fluid biomarkers in the UW ADRC spinal fluid bank and provide targeted genetic testing relevant to Alzheimer’s and related neurodegenerative diseases that cause dementia. In other words, this Core seeks ways to enhance the research value of tissue and body fluid donations from cognitively healthy individuals and patients so that researchers may begin to develop effective means of precision medicine for neurodegenerative diseases. 

The monthly Clinicopathological Correlation Conference at UW ADRC. The Precision Neuropathology Core holds a Clinicopathological Correlation Conference every third Friday from 9-10:30 am on Zoom. Dr. Dirk Keene and his colleagues present cases of interest to neuropathological and genetic research and lead a group discussion about new insights into the relationship between neuropathology, genetics, clinical disease manifestation.

Aim 1: Provide diagnostic expertise to physicians and researchers with timely and comprehensive autopsy reports that describe the neuropathologic features of AD and related diseases according to the most current guidelines and consensus diagnostic criteria.

Aim 2: Provide targeted cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarker and genetic testing using contemporary techniques on specimens provided by the Clinical Core to enhance the research value of these cases for UW ADRC and other research projects.

Aim 3: Build a highly accessible, and appropriately safeguarded, repository of brain tissue, biological fluids, and neuropathologic data from carefully and longitudinally characterized patients with cognitive impairment or dementia, as well as cognitively normal individuals, using methods that maximize tissue and data quality.

Aim 4: Advance innovative Histelide approaches to rigorously quantify specific molecules in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) brain regions to enhance the research value of the full UW ADRC repository, as well as FFPE tissue in other brain banks.

Aim 5: Maintain a rich training environment for medical and graduate students, residents, fellows, and junior faculty to teach concepts and state-of-the-art techniques that advance current interdisciplinary research and foster future advances in brain aging and neurodegeneration.

 

Resources

The ADRC maintains an extensive biorepository of tissues, samples, and fluids from the Clinical Core Cohort (de-identified), as well as some materials collected from other cohort studies. Most samples have rich, linked (de-identified) data collected during their research study participation. Sample types include plasma, serum and other blood products (N>1500, counted as unique individuals); DNA (N>1200.); CSF (N>500); dermal fibroblasts (N>3000); frozen (N>1300) and fixed (N>3500) brain tissue. We also have induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines from 11 Clinical Core participants (de-identified) that can be leveraged for biomolecular and pathological mechanism studies. For purposes of requesting samples the ADRC makes a distinction between samples collected while research participants vs. samples collected after death for those participants who chose to donate their brain tissues after passing.

Access: Any investigator may request samples for research purposes. Requests may be reviewed by a scientific committee to ensure adequacy of sample resources and appropriateness of samples and data for the proposed research design. A Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) is needed for all investigators outside of the UW. IRB approval must be obtained before accessing samples.

Collaboration and study design: ADRC investigators will, when needed, assist in adapting a proposed research design, to align the methods with appropriate sample and/or tissue use and interpretation. ADRC investigators may also be available for collaboration in research studies; investigators interested in scientific collaborations can either approach investigators directly, or ask for referrals via the request links below.

For post-mortem brain tissues e.g., Fresh Frozen Brain Tissue, Fixed Brain Tissue, FFPE Slides (stained or unstained), Choroid Plexus, Leptomeninges, Serum, Plasma, Buffy Coat, DNA, Post-Mortem ventricular CSF, Whole slide images, Whole slide annotations, Whole slide image analysis:

For ante-mortem plasma, serum, CSF, and other biofluids:

For induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines:

  • Inquiries and requests: Dr. Jessica Young, PhD, Stem Cell component Lead, jeyoung@uw.edu
  • The Neuropathology Clinico-Pathologic Conference (CPC) is held every third Friday from 9-10 am in the Research & Teaching Building at Harborview Medical Center or virtually by videoconference. Dr. Dirk Keene and his colleagues present cases of interest to neuropathological and genetic research and lead a group discussion about new insights into the relationship between neuropathology, genetics, clinical disease manifestation. Please email Erica Melief at emelief@uw.edu  to be added to the CPC seminar email list.
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  • The monthly Brain Aging and Neurodegeneration Research in Progress Seminar (RIPS). This conference is held monthly on the first Friday at 9:00 am at Harborview (currently virtual).

    The seminar is an opportunity for graduate students, fellows, and junior faculty to present their research in progress. Talks are designed to provide a supportive environment for trainees to learn to present scientific data and ideas, to receive feedback on research projects, hypotheses, and experimental designs, and to promote interactions between the brain aging and neurodegeneration scientific community and trainees. All who are interested are welcome and encouraged to attend. Contact Erica Melief  to receive notifications.