The UCSF Preclinical Therapeutics Core (PTC) facility generates tumor-bearing animals and conducts preclinical oncology trials for UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center investigators. Offering a variety of xenograft and allograft-based cancer models, the core provides a complete set of services that include consultation regarding experimental design, tumor cell growth in culture, generation of tumors in mice, formulation and administration of experimental agents, monitoring of tumor burden and response to therapy, and preparation and interpretation of study results.
The PTC maintains a cryorepository of commonly used human cancer cell and patient-derived lines derived from multiple tumor types along with data regarding their in vivo drug sensitivities and growth characteristics. The PTC is also a resource of expertise in small animal survival surgery, and is available to provide training in these techniques on a recharge basis. Although the core primarily functions to test experimental anti-cancer agents in vivo, it also provides animal models of human cancer for use in novel diagnostic, tumor imaging, and basic mechanistic research. In addition, the core oversees, maintains and provides as a service a number of small animal imaging technologies housed within the barrier facility.
The availability of centralized cell and animal resources together with personnel with expertise in conducting preclinical studies ensures appropriate experimental design and reproducibility, compliance with local and federal regulatory guidelines for tumor-bearing animals, and maximum resource utilization through coordinated animal purchasing and housing.
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