Frequently Asked Questions
Would you like to place an order?
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What you need to do:
- Submit online order form
- Execute Material Transfer Agreement (MTA)
Please fill out the online order form for your specific strain. The link to the order form is located on each individual strain details page. After submitting your order, a link to the appropriate MTA will be sent to you in a confirmation email. An MTA must be executed before the release of stock. After MTA activation, your order will be placed on the NCI Mouse Repository's shipping list. Usually, domestic orders are filled within 6-8 weeks, International requests within 10-12 weeks.
If embryos are requested, approximately 25-30 embryos will be provided per shipment. If sperm is requested, one straw of 3-4 "10µl" aliquots of sperm will be provided per shipment. Additionally, the requestor must provide to the Repository an appropriate shipping container (liquid nitrogen dry shipper). If your laboratory does not have a container, you may be able to obtain one through your courier. It is highly recommended the embryos are used immediately upon receipt. See:
- Protocol for Cryopreservation and Cryorecovery of Embryos in vials [PDF] or
- Protocol for Cryopreservation and Cryorecovery of Embryos in straws [PDF] or
- Protocol for Cryopreservation and Cryorecovery of Sperm [PDF].
The recipient laboratory is responsible for all costs related to shipping and cryorecovery. Since the NCI Mouse Repository has no control over cryorecovery methods and procedures it will not be responsible for failure to recover live mice.
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Register Interest
If a strain on the site is listed as "Register Interest", it means that this model is temporarily unavailable while undergoing cryopreservation. Investigators who register interest will receive notice as soon as the strain becomes available and upon notification you may place an order.
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List of Available Couriers
- Cryoport: 1-949-232-1900
- FedEx: 1-800-Go-FedEx (1-800-463-3339)
- Marken: 800-932-6755
- Optimize Courier USA: 1-570-234-3800
- Transportech: 508-436-6766
- Validated Courier: 1-877-355-3773
- World Courier: 888-221-6600
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Can I place an order without a courier account number?
The NCI Mouse Repository does not accept credit cards or send invoices for shipping so you will be required to have an account with one of the couriers and provide the account number so they can bill you directly. However, if at the time you are completing the order form you do not know your account number or do not yet have an account established, you may bypass this required field by choosing any one of the couriers on the list and providing a temporary account number (example: 222222). Please note that a valid account number must be provided to the NCI Mouse Repository prior to ship date.
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Can I view the specific Release Categories of the MTA before placing an order?
Sample MTAs are located on the description page of each strain (Example: Strain Details for 01BM3).
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How much does the cryopreserved material cost?
The germplasm provided by the NCI Mouse Repository is free of charge. The only cost you incur will be the shipping charges from the courier who will bill you directly.
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What are shipping costs?
Quotes for shipping fees should be obtained from the individual couriers listed above.
Already Placed an Order?
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Did you receive my order?
The most reliable method that your order was correctly placed and received is to check that you received a confirmation email through our automated system. This email will also provide you with the link to the MTA you must execute. Remember, your order is not complete until you have signed and submitted the MTA.
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Can I change something on my order?
Yes, names and addresses may be updated by a direct request as follows:
- Embryos: NCI Mouse Repository Office, MouseRepository@nih.gov
- MTA issues: Lisa M. Gallmon, lisa.gallmon@nih.gov or 240-276-5527 or 240-276-5530
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I placed an order for the wrong strain. Can you just change my order to the strain I really want?
No. While we can update orders to reflect name and/or address changes, each strain is associated with a specific MTA. If you have ordered the wrong strain, you should contact us to cancel the order and then place a new order for the correct strain. This will generate the correct MTA you will need for that strain.
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What is the status of my MTA?
- First check with your institute to verify that the MTA was signed and submitted to the NCI-Technology Transfer Center (NCI-TTC).
- If it was, then contact: Lisa M. Gallmon at the NCI-TTC office, lisa.gallmon@nih.gov or 240-276-5527 or 240-276-5530
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How long will it take to receive my order?
After your MTA has been activated, your order will be placed on the NCI Mouse Repository wait list where requests are filled in the order they are received. Usually, domestic orders are filled within 6-8 weeks, International requests within 10-12 weeks.
Want to know what strains we have available, or have a specific question about a strain?
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All strains that are being distributed are listed on the NCI Mouse Repository "Available" list.
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Strains that will be available in the near future are listed under "Newly Accepted"
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Information about phenotype, links to genotyping protocols, publications, etc. are found on each individual strain details page. See example: Strain Details for 01BM3
Protocols for Cryopreservation and Cryorecovery
If embryos are requested, approximately 25-30 embryos will be provided per shipment. If sperm is requested, one straw of 3-4 "10µl" aliquots of sperm will be provided per shipment. Additionally, the requestor must provide to the Repository an appropriate shipping container (liquid nitrogen dry shipper). If your laboratory does not have a container, you may be able to obtain one through your courier. It is highly recommended the embryos are used immediately upon receipt. See
- Protocol for Cryopreservation and Cryorecovery of Embryos in vials [PDF] or
- Protocol for Cryopreservation and Cryorecovery of Embryos in straws [PDF] or
- Protocol for Cryopreservation and Cryorecovery of Sperm [PDF].
The recipient laboratory is responsible for all costs related to shipping and cryorecovery. Since the NCI Mouse Repository has no control over cryorecovery methods and procedures it will not be responsible for failure to recover live mice.
How can I contact you directly?
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Contact Information
Cryopreserved Germplasm:
NCI Mouse Repository Office National Cancer Institute at Frederick PO Box B, Thompson Drive Building 469, Room 205 Frederick, MD 21702 Fax: (301) 228-4663 E-mail: MouseRepository@nih.gov -
Facility Address
Frozen Germplasm Shipping From:
National Cancer Institute at Frederick Cryopreservaton & Assisted Reproduction/NCI Mouse Repository 1050 Boyles Street, Building 1035 Frederick, MD 21702 -
Veterinary Information for all Facilities
Jatinder Gulani, DVM, PhD, DACLAM Institutional/Attending Veterinarian Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc. Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research Building 1021, Room 4 Frederick, MD 21702 Telephone: 301-846-5577 E-mail: jatinder.gulani@nih.gov