Readers, What Do You Know About the KTB?
Interviewer: The Komen Tissue Bank (KTB) is such a unique resource for breast cancer researchers. Here today to tell us a bit more about how the KTB ensures those researchers know what's available and how donors see the impact of their gifts is Norma the Healthy Breast Cell. Welcome, Norma, and thank you for being here! Wow—how amazing that the KTB is the only resource for these valuable samples. Tell me, how does the KTB handle the need to successfully reach out to both the research community and the general public about the presence and importance of this unique resource?
Norma: Thank you, I’m so happy to be here. It's all about strategic communication. We don't just collect tissue; we have to actively promote the resource. Our goal is twofold: to ensure our unique collection is utilized by the best scientific minds and to show our community that their generosity is making a real difference.
Dear Reader, Did You Know the KTB has specialized outreach to researchers for unique cohorts?
Interviewer: Norma, let’s talk about your first social media outreach series — people can find it on Instagram and other platforms. What’s the main message you want to get across to researchers?
Norma: The big takeaway is that this series is made specifically for our readers. We want the scientific community to know that we have unique, hard-to-find cohorts available for request — the kind of samples they might not get anywhere else. Our goal is to spark interest in studies that can tackle important, high-impact scientific questions.
Interviewer: Can you give us an example of that purpose?
Norma: Absolutely. We use that content to highlight cohorts like our Longitudinal Serial Samples (tissue donated by the same person across different time points). The purpose of these posts is to tell researchers that they can track molecular evolution and biomarker changes in healthy tissue over the years. This data is essential for prevention and risk prediction studies that look at breast biology over time rather than just a single moment.
Interviewer: And what about the posts related to rare samples, like male breast tissue?
Norma: We have several special cohorts, and those posts highlight each one individually! The purpose of highlighting our healthy male breast tissue samples is to make a compelling case for researchers to request these hard-to-find control samples. They are crucial for studies investigating male breast cancer or looking for differences in baseline biology, helping to fill critical gaps in gender-inclusive research.
Dear Reader, Did You Know the KTB gives donors a behind-the-scenes peek at sample processing?
Norma: My favorite series is called "Inside the Bank." Its purpose is to invite our community behind the scenes. We've had so many donors express curiosity about what happens to their precious donation after they leave the clinic, and this series answers those questions directly.
Interviewer: So, what do you emphasize regarding preparation methods, like FFPE or fresh frozen tissue?
Norma: We just want to show donors the fascinating behind-the-scenes work we do because they are naturally curious! We show them how our incredible lab team prepares and preserves their tissue. For instance, when we discuss FFPE (Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded) tissue, we explain that we make sure their tissue structure is locked in place, almost like a time capsule, so scientists can study the exact shape of the cells. When we talk about Fresh Frozen Tissue, we show how we flash-freeze the sample to keep all the delicate molecules, like DNA and proteins, intact for detailed analysis.
Interviewer: And for our readers, does this series have a different benefit?
Norma: Yes, absolutely. While the tone is educational for donors, the content informs researchers about the different sample types available for their studies, confirming that we offer the exact preparation method they need for their specific scientific approach.
Dear Reader, Did You Know KTB donor samples have been featured in over 100 peer-reviewed publications?
Norma: This final series, "Donated for Discovery," is our way of celebrating the direct impact of our donors. Its purpose is to take complex, peer-reviewed publications that used KTB samples and simplify the science, so our community knows exactly what their tissue helped discover.
Interviewer: Can you give us a couple of examples of how you simplify those findings?
Norma: Certainly! We recently highlighted a study that explored how factors like BMI and Ancestry influence the structural support in healthy breast tissue. We distill the findings down to this: your tissue is helping scientists understand why some women have denser breasts, which is a known cancer risk factor and makes mammograms challenging.
Interviewer: And what about another example?
Norma: We also shared findings from a study that investigated whether PFAS affect breast structures linked to cancer risk. PFAS stands for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances. They are long-lasting chemicals used in many products, and people are working to limit them because they can stick around in the environment and may affect health. We emphasize that even when a strong association isn’t found, it's a huge victory because that research helps scientists narrow their focus and stop pursuing dead ends. This is just as valuable as finding a link!
Interviewer: Norma, thank you so much for coming here to talk with us today, and for sharing how the KTB connects its valuable samples with both researchers and the community.
Norma: My pleasure! To see all of these fantastic series and stay up to date with our work, be sure to follow the Komen Tissue Bank on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok!
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