Ordering

 

Three things are required:

1. TPCL Request Form or Digital Slide Order form 
2. Completed P39 form for recharge purposes
3. IRB approval for ALL requests involving human tissues

TPCL Co-directors Drs. Dry and Said are available to answer any questions researchers may have. Please contact them at (insert TPCL mailbox address). As needed, appointments can be made to discuss your questions in person with Drs. Dry or Said.

 

Fees

 

The TPCL charges UCLA investigators a nominal fee for its services. The TPCL is purposely attempting to keep price low so that researchers can readily have access to our services. Our goal is to further advance research without imposing a financial obstacle on the investigator. Please contact the TPCL for pricing information.

Samples received by academic researchers can neither be resold nor donated to a third party without the prior express written permission from the TPCL.

 

PRICE LIST OF SERVICES (click here to print)
Procurement
Tissue Procurement (frozen or fresh)		$25.00 per sample
Pathology Report (all Personal Health Identifiers removed; this includes removal of surgical pathology number, name, medical record number, and date of birth)		$2.00 per report
Paraffin-Embedded Tissue, Sectioning, Staining		Regular a		Rush
Processing, embedding, sectioning and staining (1 H&E per block)		$12		$36 b
Processing and embedding (no section)		$9 / block		$27 / block c
Processing (no embedding, no section)		$2 / block		$20 / run c
Additional re-cuts (unstained, 1 section per slide)		$1 / slide		$3 / slide c
2 sections per slide		$1.50 / slide		$4.50 / slide
Each additional section per slide		$0.25
Additional levels per block: (more than one level)		$2.00/level, starting from second level
Sections using TPCL blocks		$1.25 / slide		$3.75 / slide
Database searches for TPCL paraffin blocks		$5.00 / tissue type		$15
Eye tissue (processing, embedding, 1 H&E stain)		$25 / block		$75 / block b
Eye tissue additional re-cuts (unstained)		$5 / slide d		$25 / slide c
Eye tissue additional re-cuts (stained)		$7 / slide		$25 / slide
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aApproximately six (6) days for typical processing, embedding, and cutting of = 20 blocks. and ten (10) days for 21 – 40 blocks. Three (3) additional days for every 10 blocks over 40. bTwo (2) day for rush order cOne (1) day for rush order dMaximum of ten (10) days for typical processing, embedding, and cutting of = 5 blocks. Ten days for each additional group of 5 samples.
Sectioning: Frozen Tissue		Regular a		Rush
Embedding, sectioning and staining (1 H&E per block)		$12		$36 b
Additional cuts (unstained)		$1 / section		$3 / slide
2 sections per slide		$1.50 / slide		$4.50 / slide
Each additional section per slide		$0.25 / slide
Special Procedures for Paraffin and Frozen Sections
Grossing (tissue preparation cassettes, 10 or more)		$1 / cassette		$6 / cassette
Decalcification
Animal tissues		$1 / sample		N/A
Human tissues		$1 / day of decalcification		N/A
Citrisolv processing (hand processing)		$ 15 / block		$45 / block
Serial Sectioning (³41 sections / case, unstained)		$ 1.50 / slide		$ 4.50 / slide
Serial Sectioning (³41 sections / case, stained)		$ 3.50 / slide		$ 10 / slide
Unstained ribbon (for PCR)
1-5 ribbons / block		$5 / block		$15 / block
6-10 ribbons / block		$8 / block		$24 / block
(price of tubes, blades, etc. will be added on)
(blade: $1.50 each; sterile tube: $0.20 each)
Special Stains
H&E stain		$ 2 / slide		$6 / slide
IHC/ISH
positive/negative		$25/unit
for antibody optimization		$28/technical hour
IMAGING
slide acquisition:
UCLA researchers: $7/slide		$7/slide
nonUCLA researchers		$14/slide
image acquisition and analysis:
assisted		$75/hour
unassisted		$25/hour
basic training for image acquisition and analysis		$50/hour
Archived Blocks (not from TPCL)
Cutting		$ 5 / block + slide fee
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aMaximum of five (5) days (for 1-10 samples) bOne (1) day for rush order (dependent on availability of cryostat)
Laser Capture Microdissection a
Basic Dissection		$50 / hour
Tissue preparation, sectioning		$15 / sample
Capture Caps and Sterile tubes (RNase free)		Our costs / item
Other
Pathologist Consultation Fee (Could include reviewing slides, immunohistochemistry stains, or performing seaches of the Dept. of Pathology database for archived blocks. Please discuss with the Director.)		$200 / hour
Supplies
Large Boxes		$5 / box
Small Boxes		$2.50 / box
Microtome blades		$1.50 / eachb
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a Appointments must be made at least three days in advance b In some blocks containing bone, a new blade must be used for each slide cut. In such cases, we may charge researchers our cost for the microtome blades, in addition to the usual histology charges.

IRB

Who needs IRB approval for TPCL services? All investigators using human tissues must have IRB approval to obtain services from TPCL. This includes all TPCL services, from tissue procurement to digital slide scanning services, and is a requirement of the UCLA IRB. The only exception is investigators exclusively using autopsy tissues, which requires approval of the UCLA Department of Pathology Director of Autopsy Services; TPCL can facilitate this approval. Investigators using only animal tissues do not need IRB approval. If you are unsure if your project requires IRB approval, please contact a TPCL Co-director.

What IRB application is required? To answer this, you must determine if your research requires: 1. on-going/future collection of tissues, vs. whether tissues already procured or stored in the Department of Pathology archives will suffice; 2. inclusion of direct or indirect patient identifiers (ie, medical record number, TPCL accession number, surgical pathology number) vs. whether completely anonymous tissue can be used; 3. definite informed consent, such as for clinical trials. The TPCL Co-Directors can provide guidance on the above issues. The OPRS website can be accessed directly at http://www.oprs.ucla.edu and click under "Application forms". 

Any research on completely anonymous AND already procured/stored tissue generally qualifies for an IRB exemption ("HS-7" form). The IRB will ask you for a letter from TPCL confirming that tissues will be issued anonymously (ie, "gastric carcinoma #1", "normal small bowel #7"). Please send an e-mail requesting this letter, along with the title of your project, to the TPCL mailbox. Typically, we are able to provide you with the TPCL letter of confirmation within one working day.

Research that uses only tissues already procured/stored BUT requires direct/indirect patient identifiers on material provided by TPCL requires review by the IRB committee (sometimes an HS-7 may be used, othertimes a HS-1 is required). Some types of research may qualify for an "expedited" review, which generally takes a few weeks. A full committee review typically takes longer. The IRB will determine which type of review is appropriate, once it receives your application. A sample IRB exemption application and is attached to assist you with your particular application.

Research that requires on-going/future tissue procurement also requires review by the IRB committee(sometimes an HS-7 may be used, othertimes a HS-1 is required). Again, some types of research may qualify for an expedited review, and the IRB will determine the type of review required.

The above comments are meant to guide you through the IRB process, however, they are not meant to reflect all situations nor all possible IRB concerns with your particular application. The IRB alone determines the information needed and the appropriate form that must be completed in order to have your research proposal reviewed evaluated.

TPCL Co-directors are willing to review your IRB applications for accuracy related to the tissues and services being requested from the TPCL. We have found that researchers are often confused as to the appropriate responses for certain IRB questions and have thus attached sample applications to assist you. Again, we cannot promise that applications we review will be approved by the IRB, but our review can help identify and correct inaccuracies related to the TPCL services you intend to use.