Tissue Collections and Processing Core

The University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Tissue Collections and Processing Core (TCPC), led by Manish Patankar, PhD, of our Division of Reproductive Sciences, is a semi-automated lab that collects obstetric and gynecologic tissues and fluids that would otherwise be discarded after surgery or delivery at UnityPoint Health-Meriter Hospital.

Our team collects reliable and high-quality biological specimens to improve maternal and fetal health outcomes and medical research. Currently, samples collected and processed include umbilical cord tissue and blood, maternal blood, and placenta. Soon the lab will be collecting ovaries and fibroids.  

Participation in tissue donation is purely voluntary and occurs during or after standard of care, routine procedures patients are already undergoing. No extra hospital visits or procedures are necessary. The identities of tissue donors are protected, confidential, and will not be shared.  

For researchers: We are always expanding our collection services and processing capabilities. If you don’t see what you’re looking for or have questions about how to utilize the lab in your research, please reach out to Surena Becraft, Lab Manager, at sbecraft@wisc.edu. 

Facilities and Resources

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Our staff are experienced in several forms of quantitative assays including the use of our Multiplex setup, a Luminex 200 System (Millipore Sigma, Cat No. 40-012). Multiplex assays are used to analyze several analytes at once in the same sample well which saves time, reagents, and sample.  Depending on the kit, serum, plasma, cell culture supernatants, tissue homogenates, and urine can be analyzed. For example, our system runs both magnetic and non-magnetic bead assays holding up to 100 analytes per well of a 96- well plate in as little as 25 µL of sample.

Our main supplier, Millipore Sigma, currently offers 42 verified preassembled human assay kits, with 80 different analytes.  

They also offer kits for non-human primates (8), rats (15), mice (17), feline (3), canine (3), equine (1), ovine (2), pig (3), and chicken (3). Kits may also be purchased from other vendors such as BioRad, Thermofisher, R&D Systems, and many others. If you need assistance identifying the right kit for your samples, please reach out to Surena Becraft, Lab Manager, at sbecraft@wisc.edu.  

The Biobank is a 24-hr monitored liquid nitrogen storage and multiple -80 C freezers to ensure the retainment of the highest quality samples. 

Per kit or per sample (each kit measures 30 samples). Labs may purchase their own kit and may choose to set up the kit themselves. Pricing will depend on our level of involvement, with the minimum being 1 hour of technical time to set up, to read, and to download data, plus reagents to run the assay. Prices of kits vary by number of analytes.

Services, Price Lists, and Collaborations

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You will find our prices for collection and processing are quite affordable. Full lists are available here. 

The TCPC Lab works in close collaboration with the UW Biotech Center for the handling of services outside of our capability, including multiple forms of Omics analysis. Together, with our dedicated collection and storage facilities, we can maintain an operational timeline that ensures the highest quality samples and analysis.