Paul Benson, M.D., Professor, Anatomic Pathology, Autopsy Section Head, has been named director of the UAB Tissue Biorepository (TBR), effective April 1. Benson assumes the position from Sameer Al Diffalha, M.D., Associate Professor, Anatomic Pathology, who has served in the role since 2017.

The UAB TBR collects, processes, stores and distributes high quality human tissue specimens to investigators of UAB, members of the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center and others to conduct investigations that advance molecular medicine to individualize treatment and improve clinical care. The UAB TBR coordinates and manages several different human tissue biorepository operations. 

A primary goal of the UAB TBR is the education of researchers in the feasibility of obtaining human tissue specimens for research,  limitations of tissues for specific methods, approaches to enrich tissues to specific cell types and optimal tissues to solve specific research problems.

Benson will direct the TBR alongside Upender Manne, M.S., Ph.D., Co-Director, and Dezhi Wang, M.D., MBA, Associate Director. In his role, Benson will oversee operational, staffing and administrative aspects of the TBR, assure adherence to institutional or national regulatory and compliance guidelines and coordinate technical and scientific expertise to investigators as it relates to tissue collection/utilization. One of Benson’s specific goals is to connect interdepartmental and extramural collaborators to enhance their participation in research.

“I am excited to lend my experience and efforts to Drs. Manne and Wang to help in the TBR and I’m looking forward to future projects,” Benson said.