Storage and Use of Tissue

Unprecedented advances in healthcare technology have greatly increased the power and precision of analytical tools used in research. Human tissue specimens that are analyzed using these new and developing technology platforms have emerged as a critical resource for basic and translational research. Standardization of human tissue resources using state-of-science approaches has become a pressing need across the research enterprise.

The UNM HSC policy for the Oversight of Human Tissue in Research (Policy RC.05.002.PP) sets forth the policies, standards, procedures, and guidelines with respect to storage of human tissue for future unspecified research, which may include the receipt, collection, storage, dissemination, and transfer (both intra-institutionally and to entities outside of the UNM HSC) of human tissue specimens to support research conducted by UNM HSC investigators.

The Human Tissue Oversight Committee (HTOC) was established to oversee the policy to ensure UNM HSC research involving the storage of human tissue adheres to applicable state and federal laws, rules and regulations, and ethics. The HTOC also reviews and approves any activity involving the storage of human tissue for future unspecified research, which may include the collection, reporting, distribution or transfer of human tissue from the Human Tissue Repository.

The Scientific Review Committee (SRC) is a subcommittee of the HTOC and reviews the scientific merit of proposals requesting use of stored human specimens in the Human Tissue Repository (HTR) or other UNM HSC Satellite Human Tissue Repository (sHTR), as well as specimens from UNMH Surgical Pathology.

If you are or intend to store human tissue, or want to use human tissue stored in the human tissue repository please contact the Human Research Protections Office (HRPO) for instructions regarding HTOC or SRC review.