The Comparative Pathology Core (CPC), an Abramson Cancer Center shared resource, provides expert pathological characterization and validation of mouse and other animal models used in biomedical research by offering the expertise of board-certified veterinary pathologists and access to state-of-the-art histology, immunohistochemistry, and digital pathology services.
The Comparative Pathology Core offers clinical pathology testing options in collaboration with the Penn Vet Clinical Pathology Laboratory.
Dr. Natalie Hoepp, a veterinary clinical pathologist, is the clinical pathology coordinator for the CPC. Dr. Hoepp provides interpretive reports for cytology and hematology submissions, consults on sample acquisition and appropriate testing to meet study goals, assists investigators with planning first time submissions, coordinates repeat time points with the laboratory, and facilitates account set up with the hospital.
Aperio VERSA 200 platform for whole slide scanning (both brightfield and fluorescent application) and automated digital image analysis.
-- High-quality histology services including preparation of sections from frozen and paraffin-embedded tissues, routine H&E and histochemical staining.
-- Generation of customized tissue microarrays (TMA) from both paraffin-embedded and frozen tissues.
Automated staining platform (Leica BOND RXm) for chromogenic immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence or in situ hybridization on paraffin-embedded or frozen tissue sections and cytological preparations.
Complete necropsy (with gross pathology and organ weight) and histolopathological examination of genetically engineered or test article-treated mice and matched controls.
Composites for publication with legends are formatted in Adobe Photoshop to the journal specifications.
Histopathological examination performed by certified veterinary comparative pathologists with a final interpretative report.
-- Complete necropsy demonstration and proper tissue handling techniques.
-- Slides review and discussion with investigators at a multi-headed teaching microscope.