The MBSPFC is equipped with an automated nucleic acid extractor (Autogen 540 Nucleic Acid Isolation System, Integrated Separation Systems, Natick, MA) capable of isolating either DNA or RNA from up to 12 specimens simultaneously, with turn around times of less than 2 hours. The material recovered from this instrument, although not of high purity, is suitable for most of the projects supported by the core, which usually involve PCR-based techniques. The technical staff is also experienced with manual nucleic acid extraction protocols so that highly purified DNA or RNA can be obtained if requested by core users. Dr. Dubeau, the core director, has extensive experience with nucleic acid extractions from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded archival specimens, having published some of the first papers on this subject about 15 years ago (Cancer Res. 46:2964-2969, 1986; Am. J. Pathol. 130:588-594, 1988).