for assistance call: 1-888-673-3444
COVID-19-related Disruptions
April 03, 2020
Due to the current situation with COVID-19, we are operating with reduced staffing and there may be delays in responding to emails and phone calls at this time. In addition, because of institutional restrictions and uncertainty with courier services, the MMRRC is currently shipping or receiving live animals on a case-by-case basis. Please contact us to discuss your needs. For ongoing orders, we will continue to communicate frequently to keep you apprised of the status of your order. Thank you for understanding.
New MUMC Website!
The MU Metagenomics Center recently launched a new website – please visit us at:
http://mumc.missouri.edu
April 06, 2015
The MU Metagenomics Center recently launched a new website – please visit us at:
http://mumc.missouri.edu
Watch the video!
Microbiota Characterization
The gut microbiota (GM) is now recognized as a key factor in health and disease. Differences in the composition of the gut microbiota of research animals may contribute to altered phenotypes or poor reproducibility of animal-based studies. Culture-independent techniques such as next-generation sequencing (NGS) allow in-depth characterization of the gut microbiota. The MMRRC now offers a full line of NGS-related services including fecal DNA extraction, 16S rDNA gene sequencing, and informatics analysis to researchers using mouse models. For more information, please see here or contact mmrrc@missouri.edu.
Please visit
MU METAGENOMICS CENTER (MUMC)
April 02, 2015
Please visit
MU METAGENOMICS CENTER (MUMC)
Journal of the Missouri State Medical Association
June 01, 2013
SCIENCE OF MEDICINE
One Medicine: Collaborative Research on Human & Animal Disease for the Betterment of Both
Craig L. Franklin, DVM, PhD .......... 195
A Brief History of Animal Modeling
Aaron C. Ericsson, DVM, PhD, Marcus J. Crim, DVM & Craig L. Franklin, DVM, PhD .......... 201
New York Times Article Misleads on the Value of Mouse Models
Catherine E. Hagan, DVM, PhD .......... 206
The Mighty Mouse: The Impact of Rodents on Advances in Biomedical Research
Elizabeth C. Bryda, PhD .......... 207
The Laboratory Animal Veterinarian: More than just a Mouse Doctor
Cynthia G. Alvarado, DVM & Lonny M. Dixon, DVM .......... 223
FAQs
How are orders placed?
All orders are placed online through the MMRRC website: http://www.mmrrc.org/
In addition to placing the order itself, what else is needed?
All orders require a Conditions of Use (COU) agreement. When an order is placed, a link to the COU agreement will be emailed (be sure to check junk mail folder). The form should be completed online.
For orders from within the United States, please provide the method by which your institution intends to pay. Purchase order information can be emailed or faxed, while credit card information can be faxed or provided by phone call (for security reasons, please do NOT email credit card information).
International orders require payment in full before the order can be processed. When an international order is placed, an invoice is created and emailed. Credit card information can be faxed or provided by phone call (for security reasons, please do NOT email credit card information). Please let us know if a mailed invoice is preferred.
How much sperm/embryos are in an “aliquot”?
An aliquot of sperm is 0.3mL, whereas an embryo aliquot contains 40-60 embryos.
With the purchase of sperm/embryos, does the MMRRC guarantee live animals?
If the shipper arrives damaged and the materials are no longer frozen, we will send a replacement aliquot. The replacement aliquot will be free of charge, and we only ask that you pay the shipping cost of the replacement materials.
Sperm/embryos of the highest quality are provided as is a detailed thawing protocol to optimize recovery of live animals. Cryorecovery using sperm or embryos can be very challenging and often requires extensive experience with certain techniques. As a result, it is recommended that recoveries be performed by facilities (cryopreservation core, transgenic core) with such experience. Even with such expertise, cryorecoveries can fail, so we cannot guarantee live animals for any order. Should cryorecovery be unsuccessful, we are readily available for consultation to aid in troubleshooting. Please see “MMRRC Policy for Cryopreserved Sperm and Embryos” for additional information.
To achieve the highest probability of recovery of animals with the correct genotype from cryo-preserved materials, it is recommended that cryo-resuscitation be performed at our facility.
How long does cryo-resuscitation take?
The cryo-resuscitation process takes approximately 3 months. From this process, at least one mutant mouse is guaranteed. If the initial cryo-resuscitation attempt fails, subsequent attempts will be performed at NO additional charge. If additional animals are desired, recovered animals can be bred in-house for a per-diem-based fee.
Is there a limit to how many animals I can order?
The MMRRC serves primarily as a repository that is designed to provide breeder animals. We do not maintain large numbers of animals for live colonies and many of our strains are cryo-preserved. Therefore, while there is no defined limit on the number of animals one can order, it is strongly recommended that limited numbers of breeder pairs be ordered. This will also decrease the time required to provide you with the animals you need.
How are mice shipped and what are the costs for shipping?
Shipping costs are paid by the facility ordering mice, but the MMRRC will coordinate shipment. We simply need the name of the shipping courier that you wish to use and your account number with that courier. For domestic orders of live animals, we highly recommend World Courier. For the domestic shipment of sperm or embryos, we recommend FedEx. Both will likely result in the lowest cost to your facility.
For international orders, we require World Courier to be the shipping courier. This includes shipments of live animals, sperm or embryos. If your facility does not have a World Courier account, please contact the MMRRC at mmrrc@missouri.edu. We will assist you in setting up an account with World Courier. It is a very straightforward process and requires minimal time commitment.
What kind of guarantee does the MMRRC offer on live animals?
If your animals should die during transportation or within 72 hours of being delivered, we will send replacements at no extra charge. We cannot guarantee survival beyond this time point. In the vast majority of cases, animals will readily breed if placed immediately into breeding pairs/trios (avoid not breeding during quarantine if at all possible). Unfortunately, however, we cannot guarantee that all animals will breed. If this occurs, we would be happy to provide consultation about breeding strategies and troubleshoot these breeding failures.
Other questions?
Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions about the information above or if you have additional questions. For specific questions about colony management, genotyping, cryopreservation or other technical items, please direct your questions to our faculty as described in the consultation section of this web page.
For more information about the MMRRC including strains available, visit http://www.mmrrc.org/.