Animal Production Program

Announcement

Price List Increase
The NCI Animal Production Program will implement a price increase effective September 28, 2009. It is our intent to implement future price increases aligned with the government fiscal year. This price list will replace the price list dated May 5, 2009.

The National Cancer Institute Animal Production Program is administered by the Biological Testing Branch and supplies animals to the following:

• Researchers at NCI-Frederick
• NIH on-campus laboratories
• NIH/NCI funded research contracts
• NIH/NCI funded grantees
• Other government agencies
• Other research laboratories of the strains not available commercially

To meet the above needs, animal production contracts plus quality control contracts are used. The animal production contracts are used to propagate the NIH sublines of the strains. Many of the strains produced are not available commercially and the NCI program is the sole source of several lines. Click here for ordering and pricing information.

Health Monitoring
Health monitoring on the NCI Animal Production Program rodents colonies is performed by the contractor, Charles River Labs, and by the University of Missouri. Animals are submitted monthly from each barrier room and twice a year from each isolator. Results from Charles River Labs and from the University of Missouri are posted on the Charles River Labs website and maintained for 18 months.
Any potentially pathogenic results will be relayed to the customers by fax, phone or e-mail within 24 hours of confirmation.

Genetic Monitoring
Genetic monitoring is performed by the University of Missouri. Profiles for each inbred strain were developed from NCI Foundations Colonies in 2008 by the University of Missouri. Embryos were frozen from these colonies and will be reconstituted as necessary to correct any genetic drift that may be found in the breeding colonies.
All breeders in the barrier foundation colonies are screened using DNA- based testing methods. Any animals that deviate from the accepted profiles are removed from the colony.

Policy and Procedure for Obtaining Cryopreserved Strains and Stocks

• 2 vials of frozen embryos will be shipped per inbred strain or outbred stock breeding unit. Vials will be shipped in liquid nitrogen dry shippers either provided by the requestor or by NCI. The requestor will be responsible for all shipping charges.
• If the receiving institute/company is unable to recovery the embryos and obtain live animals from the 2 vials supplied then the requested strain/stock will be recovered at NCI-Frederick and live animals will be shipped. The requestor will be responsible for the cost of recovery, testing, animal holding and shipping.
• Send a written request on letterhead to the below address. The request must include a contact name and address, a delivery address and a billing address.
  Linda Blumenauer
  NCI-Frederick
  Biological Testing Branch
  Building 1021, Room 5
  Frederick, MD 21702
  
  Phone 301-846-1153
  Fax 301-846-1694
  blumenal@mail.nih.gov