ATCC Announces New Award from the National Cancer Institute to Process Biomaterials for Cancer Research

ATCC, the world’s premier biological materials management and standards organization, today announced that it has been selected as an awardee for the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics (DCEG) Field and Biospecimen Support Services contract. Under this contract, ATCC will compete to provide technical support for studies and other research activities associated with ongoing and new research programs conducted in DCEG branches and laboratories within the NCI and part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). ATCC will support multidisciplinary domestic and international studies with diverse study designs in epidemiology, exposure assessment, genetics, and clinical research that include retrospective and prospective cohort studies, case-control studies, family studies, cross-sectional molecular epidemiology studies, exposure assessment studies, and randomized clinical trials.

Discovering the causes of cancer and informing the means for prevention by conducting transdisciplinary epidemiological and genetic research is the DCEG’s mission. Its investigators rely on contract services to provide technical assistance in specimen collection and receipt, processing, and identifying laboratories to perform state-of-the-art testing using high-quality biological specimens collected from clinical and field sites. 

“We are pleased to continue our long-term relationship with NCI regarding their epidemiological and clinical research efforts designed to discover the genetic and environmental determinants of cancer and new approaches to cancer prevention,” said Raymond H. Cypess, D.V.M., Ph.D., chairman and CEO of ATCC. “At ATCC, we understand the challenges that scientists face in acquiring and working with standardized biological materials and its associated information. That is why we leverage our unique expertise, methods, standards, products, and services they need to conduct critical life science research.”

Under the contract, ATCC will coordinate specimen receipts; perform multiple, state-of-the-art molecular assays to characterize the specimens, as required; provide support services for the procurement, storage, and shipment of specimens to and from international and domestic specimen sites, as requested; and prepare specimens for transport to testing laboratories by aliquoting, labeling, and batching, as needed.

“This contract builds on our existing relationship with NCI as we continue to support their efforts to develop better ways to study and treat cancer,” said Joseph Leonelli, Ph.D., senior vice president of ATCC Federal Solutions. “Since the DCEG’s research findings significantly impact public health and align with our goal of improving global health, it is a win-win collaboration for everyone.”

ATCC is a premier global biological materials and information resource and standards organization and the leading developer and supplier of authenticated cell lines, microorganisms, and associated data for academia, industry, and government. With a history of scientific contributions spanning nearly a century, ATCC offers an unmatched combination of being the world’s largest and most diverse collection of biological reference materials and data, and is a mission-driven, trusted partner that supports and encourages scientific collaboration. ATCC products, services, partnerships, and people provide the global scientific community with credible, advanced, model systems to support complex research and innovations in basic science, drug discovery, translational medicine, and public health. ATCC is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with headquarters in Manassas, Virginia, and a research and technology center of excellence in Gaithersburg, Maryland. 

Contact: Kim Testa, senior director, Corporate Communications & Public Affairs, ATCC, [email protected]