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    The Ibrahim El-Hefni Liver Biorepository at California Pacific Medical Center (IELBC)

    Background  |  Donors  |  Diseases  |  Sample types  |  Facilities  |  Sample requests  |  Contact information  |  Staff

    Background

    The IELBC is a rapidly expanding resource of clinically annotated human samples for use in translational liver research. The IELBC was IRB approved and established in 2009 with the aim of providing researchers with access to high quality human samples and to establish a foundation for our own translational research program within the Division of Hepatology and Department of Liver Transplantation.

    Samples are obtained by consent from inpatients, outpatients and healthy volunteers, including family members of patients with liver disease. Subjects who agree to become research participants are recruited from sites throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, Northern California and Nevada.

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    Donors

    We collect samples from subjects with a full spectrum of liver diseases at all stages. For many patients we can collect longitudinal samples throughout the natural history and/or treatment phases of their disease, including before and after liver transplantation. The broad ethnic diversity found throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, Northern California and Nevada allows us to collect samples from patients of diverse backgrounds. Samples are also collected from healthy individuals.

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    Diseases

    The diseases for which we have samples include:

    • Viral hepatitis (B, C, D)

    • Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)

    • Cirrhosis (All causes including alcohol, cryptogenic)

    • Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (steatosis, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis or NASH)

    • Auto-immune liver diseases (Primary biliary hepatitis, Autoimmune hepatitis, Primary sclerosing cholangitis)

    • Genetic liver disease (Hemochromatosis, Wilson’s disease, Alpha1 antitrypsin deficiency)

    • Metabolic liver enzyme deficiencies

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    Sample types

    Samples obtained from patients before and after liver transplantation include:

    • Whole blood

    • Serum

    • Plasma

    • Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC)

    • Patient derived Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-transformed B-lymphoblastoid cell lines (BLCL)

    • In situ patient liver biopsies

    • Genomic DNA (Whole blood or PBMC derived)

    • Transplant donor liver biopsies

    • Transplant recipient liver tissue

    • Transplant donor liver perfusate derived mononuclear cells

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    Facilities

    In collaboration with the Kalmanovitz Liver Immunology Laboratory the IELBC has access to a Flow Cytometer (BD FACSAria, with cell sorting capability) and can provide custom sorted cell subsets. Nucleic acid extractions are automated using an Eppendorf epMotion 5075 VAC and special requests may be accommodated – please ask.

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    Sample requests

    Investigators interested in obtaining samples are encouraged to contact the IELBC to assess the options and availability of samples. All enquiries should be made to the manager of the Biorepository Program Adrian Wadley (biorepository@sutterhealth.org)). All requests for samples from the IELBC are referred to the Department of Transplantation Tissue Allocation Committee for consideration. The proposed research must have approval from the relevant local Institutional ethics review committees (e.g. IRB, CHR).
    Begin your application for samples by completing this form.

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    Contact information

    The Ibrahim El-Hefni Liver Biorepository at CPMC
    Department of Transplantation
    Frank L.A. Gerbode Research Building
    2200 Webster St, Ste 237
    San Francisco, CA 94115-1821
    Email: biorepository@sutterhealth.org
    Tel: 415 600 1723
    Fax: 415 600 1715

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    Staff

    Program Manager:
    Adrian Wadley

    Researchers:
    Margaret Clark, Research Coordinator
    Richard Ivanoff, Tissue Procurement and Shipping Specialist
    Kahee Joanne Jo, Research Coordinator
    David Stone, Phlebotomist, Research Associate
    Diana Suen, Research Associate

    Principal Investigator:
    Stewart Cooper MD

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