NCI Awards ATCC Task Order to Provide Cancer Epidemiology Services to Research Community

ATCC, a global biological materials management and standards organization, announced on March 28, 2022 that it has been awarded a two-year task order by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Valued at $5.6 million, the task order is part of an existing indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract that ATCC has with NCI. The IDIQ contract is for supporting the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics (DCEG) Molecular Epidemiology Assay Support (MEAS) program.

Under the contract, ATCC may coordinate receipt of specimens from clinical and field sites as well as process fresh samples within 24 hours. ATCC will also perform a broad range of molecular assays to characterize the models as required. ATCC may also provide support services for the procurement, storage, and shipment of specimens to and from international and domestic specimen sites as well as prepare specimens for transport to testing laboratories by aliquoting, labeling, and batching, as needed, according to a company press release.

DCEG’s mission is to discover the causes of cancer and research ways to prevent cancer by conducting transdisciplinary epidemiological and genetic research. DCEG investigators typically rely on contract services to provide technical support for specimen collection, receipt and processing, and assistance in identifying laboratories to perform state-of-the-art testing using high-quality biological specimens collected from clinical and field sites. The MEAS program provides support services for clinical studies on the genetic and other cellular events that influence the onset of different types of cancer.

"At ATCC, we are committed to supporting members of the clinical research community by providing them with the highest quality biomaterials for cancer research," said Raymond H. Cypess, chairman and CEO of ATCC, in the press release. "We know how important this is when they are designing studies to discover cancer's genetic and environmental determinants and innovative approaches to cancer prevention. Scientific research is critical for unlocking incredible breakthroughs in global health."

"Through our expertise in providing standard reagents, functional testing, and biorepository operations and management, ATCC continues to support cancer research through DCEG's clinical studies," said Joseph Leonelli, senior vice-president of ATCC Federal Solutions, in the press release. "We look forward to our continued relationship with NCI through the MEAS program."

Source: ATCC