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What is the AIDS and Cancer Specimen Resource (ACSR)?
The AIDS and Cancer Specimen Resource (ACSR) is a resource for investigators working in the fields of HIV/AIDS, cancer, virology, immunology, pathology, epidemiology, tumor biology assay development, and many others. It is a biorepository for HIV-infected human biospecimens obtained from a wide spectrum of HIV-related or associated diseases, including cancer, and from appropriate HIV-negative controls. The ACSR was established by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in 1994 to acquire, store, and equitably distribute tumor tissues, biological fluids, and associated clinical information from patients with HIV-associated malignancies to the scientific research community-at-large. The NCI believes that prospective and longitudinal clinical samples collected across the timeline of the HIV/AIDS crisis are pivotal to the understanding of the epidemic and its impact on cancer incidence. Availability of such biospecimens also facilitates efforts to identify therapeutic targets and gain further insight into the pathogenesis and treatment of cancer in the HIV-infected population.
Basic research into the pathogenesis of AIDS-related malignancies depends upon the availability of properly preserved tissue and body fluid specimens. Because ACSR scientists are themselves actively involved in the study of HIV disease, the ACSR is able to acquire biospecimens that anticipate therapeutic and scientific advances.
The ACSR also collaborates with individual NIH-funded investigators and cooperative groups studying HIV/AIDS and HIV-associated malignancies to serve as a repository for biospecimens and provide specialized core services. The ACSR continues to develop special sets of specimens including:
- Serial specimens from patients involved in clinical trials
- Matched tumor and control specimens
- Multi-site autopsy specimens
- Lymphoma epidemiology study specimens
- Male/female derived specimens from all HIV/AIDS risk categories
- Internationally obtained specimens
What are the goals and objectives of the ACSR?
The primary commitment of the ACSR is to encourage research in the field of HIV-associated malignancies, both AIDS defining and non-AIDS defining. To that end, the ACSR not only provides historical biospecimens (both pre- and post-HAART), but in order to meet the emerging needs of the research community, it actively acquires new biospecimens from HIV-infected individuals from across the United States as well as from developing countries experiencing a high burden of the HIV epidemic and its associated malignancies. In addition to operating a large, existing biospecimen repository, the ACSR serves the research community as a resource for well-documented, disease-associated biospecimens that may not currently exist in the ACSR but may be acquired from an extensive network of outside collaborators.
The ACSR strives to be a partner with investigators working in research related to HIV-associated malignancies. It is prepared to provide relevant biospecimens to the research community at large, including researchers in academia and industry. Given its track record on assisting research and advances in the field, the ACSR is optimistic about a continued contribution to the acceleration of drug development timelines and facilitation of the development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to HIV-associated malignancies.
Finally, as research questions regarding the pathogenesis of AIDS and cancer evolve over time, the ACSR continues to evolve to reflect the needs of investigators involved in these critical fields of research.
Who can receive biospecimens from the ACSR?
The ACSR provides biospecimens and patient data to qualified investigators with sound research protocols in accordance with the priorities established by the ACSR Steering Committee and reviewed by the Research Evaluation and Decision Panel (REDP), an independent panel of experts who reviews applications for scientific merit and priority. The biospecimens and clinical data are available for research studies, particularly those that translate basic research findings to clinical application.
Use of biospecimens
Biospecimens from the ACSR are provided to approved investigators for research purposes only. Biospecimens and their products shall not be sold or used for commercial purposes, nor will biospecimens be distributed further to third parties for purposes of shared research, sale or producing for sale, cells or cell products. The biospecimens are provided as a service to the research community without warranty of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose or any other warranty, expressed or implied.