Siena Martin is a research specialist at the University of Pennsylvania Tumor Tissue and Biospecimen Bank (TTAB) and serves as a liaison and member of the NMVB working group. TTAB works closely with the NMVB to facilitate access to high-quality, well-documented human-derived samples for basic, clinical, and translational research, along with associated clinical and pathologic data. TTAB has collected and managed specimens and data from nearly 500 unique mesothelioma cases, with malignant tissue and often paired normal tissue available. These specimens encompass a variety of histological types, cancer stages, and anatomic sites, and are distributed upon request to researchers.
Siena collects fresh mesothelioma tissue from surgical pathology for processing, freezing, fixation, and banking, and documents associated demographic, clinical, and pathologic data in a centralized database (RedCap). She also works under pathologist guidance with retrospective collections, allowing TTAB to create de-identified research blocks from past clinical cases while maintaining the diagnostic integrity of the original clinical blocks.
Siena graduated from Bryn Mawr College with a degree in biology with departmental honors and a minor in psychology. Her previous experience includes a role as a neurobiology research specialist in the Betley lab at the University of Pennsylvania.
