How to Use
How to Use
Submit a Request
- Log in to the Core Billing System (CBS) to set up an account or submit new requests.
- For ongoing tissue procurement or clinical trial processing, contact the Center for Pathology Research Services to set up a research agreement.
- Requesters outside the UC system must submit a Short Form Service Agreement (SFSA) receive approval before services can begin.
- Translational Pathology Core Laboratory Staff staff will follow up by email regarding your request.
IRB
Who Needs IRB Approval for TPCL Services?
Investigators using non-anonymized human tissue must obtain IRB approval before receiving TPCL services. This UCLA IRB requirement applies to all TPCL services, including tissue procurement, archived block/slide requests and whole slide imaging.
Who Does Not Need IRB Approval for TPCL Services?
- Investigators using only animal tissue.
- Investigators using completely anonymized human tissue. Anonymized samples do not retain a link to the TPCL accession number. Therefore, additional tissue from the same patient or specimen cannot be requested later.
- Investigators using only autopsy tissue. These projects require approval from the UCLA Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine's Director of Autopsy Services. TPCL can help facilitate this approval.
Rules for Whole Slide Imaging
Brightfield (Aperio)
For best results, submit coverslipped glass slides with tissue sections of standard thickness (4–5 microns). Marks such as ink dots, excess mounting medium, non-glass slides, plastic coverslips, thick labels, and labels that wrap around the slide can interfere with imaging and may need to be removed before scanning. Staff review each image after scanning and manually rescan images when doing so may improve quality. Faint stains, air bubbles, thick sections, and marks on the glass surface may reduce scan quality. In some cases, recutting or restaining the sample may be recommended.
Immunofluorescence (Akoya, Versa)
For best results, submit coverslipped glass slides with tissue sections of standard thickness (4–5 microns). Do not place the coverslip over any part of the slide label area. The slide label must be completely dry and free of mounting residue. Avoid placing samples near the slide edges, where they may fall outside the microscope’s scanning limits.
Image Analysis Guidelines
Assisted Analysis Sessions
Users bring prepared slides or provides images on an external hard drive, and a staff member performs the scanning (if required) and analysis.
Unassisted Analysis Sessions
Only users who have completed the required training may book unassisted sessions. Staff will respond to routine questions as soon as possible. For advanced image-analysis assistance, schedule an appointment in advance.
Trained users with reserved instrument time may access the facility 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year-round using a keycard. Please contact Dr. Clara Magyar to request keycard access and reserve instrument time.
Downloading programs or files to TPCL computers is strictly prohibited.
Report any instrument malfunction immediately.
Analysis Training
Schedule an appointment in advance to discuss your project. After your slides have been scanned, TPCL will schedule a 1–2-hour training session. Follow-up sessions are encouraged for new users and anyone seeking instruction on topics not covered in the introductory session.
To schedule an appointment, contact Dr. Clara Magyar.