Pathology Core Staff

Wilbur A. Franklin, MD, Core Director

Dr. Franklin has supervised Core activities during the past 10 years. He sets policies for the Core, prepares its budget and submits progress reports to the management committee and to the NCI.  He works with the Clinical Investigation Core (CIC) to integrate and coordinate tissue collection activities at University of Colorado Denver and provides guidance on the tissue collection protocols, informed consent and confidentiality issues. He coordinates efforts to standardize tissue data collection with the informatics core to create the barcoding specimen tracking system and has developed the risk assessment packs (RAPs) that have been extremely useful to the Pathology Core.

Jennifer Richer, PhD, Core Co-Director

Dr. Richer provides consultations and instructs users on the various applications of the Arcturus AutoPix automated laser capture microdissection system and collaborates with Dr. Franklin on the purification of cell populations through microdissection.  She evaluates the translational impact of new basic science techniques involving laser capture microdissection and identification of areas where basic science techniques might effectively be applied to the study of tumor or preneoplastic tissue. To respond to technical and conceptual advances and changing needs of Cancer Center members, Dr. Richer constantly upgrades equipment and procedures of the Core. 

Scott Lucia, MD, Core Co-Director

Dr. Lucia is co-director of the Pathology Core and director of the prostate bank at the University of Colorado Denver.  Dr. Lucia’s role in the Pathology Core is to provide expertise on innovative tissue analysis techniques and to coordinate the development of common database and barcoding protocols with Clinical Investigation and Informatics Cores. Dr. Lucia also provides expertise on informed consent issues and IRB issues to ensure uniform standards for specimen collection and utilization throughout the Cancer Center .

Jerry Haney, MS, Senior PRA

Mr. Haney is senior technician for the Core and supervises the preparation of DNA and RNA extracts from tumors and normal tissue, preparation of molecular probes and assessment of quality of DNA and RNA products from the Core. Mr. Haney devotes most of his effort to molecular methods including the purifying, aliquoting and quantifying of DNA and RNA extracted from blood and tissues.

Nicole Spoelstra, BS, PRA, histotechnologist trainee

She obtained her BS degree at Colorado State University and trained at the AMC Cancer Center and with pathologist Dr. Meenakshi Singh at University of Colorado Denver. Ms. Spoelstra is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the laser capture laboratory. She is an expert in histological sectioning and has expertise in immunohistochemical procedures.  She orders supplies, maintains equipment and does the billing. She supervises the use of the LCM instrument, runs the Agilent Bioanalyzer, and keeps the laboratory in good order. She also assists users in isolation of DNA and RNA and amplification of RNA for real-time RT-PCR or microarray applications.