The purpose of the TPHC is to provide tissue collection and processing services to intramural and extramural researchers studying cancer and other diseases. Specific procedures are in place to protect donor identity and other Protected Health Information.

A wide variety of tissues from over 70 anatomic sites are made available by the TPHC to researchers. Normal, diseased, benign and malignant tissues are obtained, and matched normal adjacent tissues and tissues from different organ sites from the same donor can also be provided when available. Due to the nature of the hospital as a tertiary care medical center, rare types of tissues are often obtainable. Tissue samples are prepared according to user-specified protocols and can be fresh in a medium of choice, fixed in formalin, quick frozen in the vapor phase of liquid nitrogen or snap-frozen by plunging the sample into liquid nitrogen. Frozen tissues are held in the vapor phase of the liquid nitrogen, which is believed to be the best possible means of long-term preservation of tissue samples. Tissues can also be embedded, cut and mounted on slides, and stained upon request. Tissues are made available to Case/UH researchers immediately following their preparation. Tissue Microarray (TMA) services are offered for the design and construction of TMAs meeting specific project needs. Over 100 tissue samples can be placed on a single slide.

Basic demographic data (age, race, gender) and histopathologic data from Surgical Pathology Reports are provided by the TPHC with the tissues. Chart reviews are conducted on an as-needed basis as a special service to obtain additional requested clinical information. Patient confidentiality is strictly maintained through the use of sample code numbers, de-identification and de-linking procedures. Only discarded human tissues may be obtained by the TPHC for research.