Sample Submission Guidelines
- When collecting your samples and preparing them for submission, please adhere strictly to the following guidelines.
- Samples that are not prepared according to these guidelines will not be analyzed. If you desire Option A assays, please ask us for instructions for your specific protocol.
- We accept BSL-1 and BSL-2 samples. We require that you diligently and transparently provide sufficient detail concerning the purity of your samples and follow all Federal and State transport requirements, including those related to biological material, in order to ensure you are both providing us with acceptable material and shipping it properly.
- In order produce the best results for our clients while protecting our staff and instrumentation, we can only analyze samples that are free of potentially damaging and dangerous materials.
A. We cannot analyze samples containing or prepared with the following:
1. Detergents
2. Radioactivity
3. Intact agents of human disease
B. General Requirements
- Collect, purify and contain all samples in 1.2 - 2 mL tubes or vials. Screw-top cryogenic storage vials are required if shipping liquid samples (i.e. plasma, serum, urine, saliva, cell media). All BSL-2 material must be within screw-top cryogenic storage vials.
- Samples must be provided in a cryobox such as CryoFile (catalog# 13-709-106) or similar.
- Include all sample label details in the Sample List tab. It is important that the labeling included on your sample tubes be accurately written on the Sample List tab.
- Label sample tubes clearly on the side with either printed labels or legible handwriting with a permanent, non-smudging marker (i.e. Sharpie).
- Use the Sample List tab (enclosed in this Excel file) that correlates sample volume and/or mass with the sample ID used in the label.
- In addition to the information listed on the Sample List tab, indicate the location of each of the samples in the cryobox you will be providing. We will check your shipment immediately upon arrival to confirm all samples listed are present.
- If you are an on-campus collaborator, please contact us to coordinate delivery in-person. If you are an off-campus collaborator, place the cryobox containing the samples in an insulated foam container and pack the foam container with dry ice. To keep the foam container closed, wrap tape around the foam container (lid and box). Place the insulated foam container in a cardboard box for shipment. Only ship on a Monday or Tuesday and use overnight delivery.
C. Matrix-specific Recommendations
1. Plasma
a. Collect whole blood in plasma separation tubes containing EDTA (K2, K3, or Na) as anti-coagulant. Separate plasma fraction according to tube manufacturer or internal protocol.
b. Aliquot 100 - 500 uL plasma into 1.2 - 2 mL screw-top cryogenic storage vials stored in a cryobox and freeze at -80°C immediately.
2. Serum
a. Collect whole blood in serum separation tubes. Separate serum fraction according to tube manufacturer or internal protocol.
b. Aliquot 100 - 500 uL serum into 1.2 - 2 mL screw-top cryogenic storage vials stored in a cryobox and freeze at -80°C immediately.
3. Urine
a. 24-hour whole urine collections kept at 4°C during the duration are highly recommended, especially for steroid measurements.
b. If 24-hour collections are not practical or indicated, then first catch is preferred.
c. Aliquot into 1.2 - 2 mL screw-top cryogenic storage vials. Thoroughly mix all time point collections before aliquoting.
d. If possible, measure osmolality or creatinine levels.
e. Store tubes in a cryobox at -80°C.
4. Saliva
a. Collect saliva samples in a non-stimulated fashion. Dietary restrictions are not necessary. Food intake should be documented.
b. Research subjects should rinse their mouths vigorously three times with at least 30 mL of water before saliva collection, without brushing their teeth or using any mouthwashes.
c. Five minutes after the water rinse, collect about 3 ml of saliva in a clean plastic container by expectorate sputum.
d. Aliquot into 1.2 - 2 mL screw-top cryogenic storage vials and freeze as soon as possible and store in a cryobox at −80°C.
e. If saliva collection tubes contained preservative, please send an unused tube to determine any additive/preservative interaction with the analysis.
5. Tissues
a. Aliquot a minimum of 100 mg wet weight for all samples and store in 1.2 - 2 mL screw-top cryogenic storage vials. When preparing aliquots from frozen sources, work on dry ice and use pre-chilled materials.
b. Flash-freeze samples immediately and store in a cryobox at -80°C.
6. Fecal/Large Intestinal Content
a. After homogenizing a larger sample, collect a minimum 100 mg wet weight of fecal, cecal, or chyme samples and store in 1.2 - 2 mL screw-top cryogenic storage vials. When preparing aliquots from frozen sources, work on dry ice and use pre-chilled materials.
b. Flash-freeze samples immediately and store screw-top cryovial tubes in a cryobox at -80°C.
7. Cell Suspensions or Lysates
a. Each sample should ideally contain 3-5 x10^6 cells, with a minimum of 1 x 10^6 and a maximum of 1 x 10E^7.
b. To process whole cells for analysis:
i. Centrifuge at 2500 rpm 1-3 min to avoid lysing cells.
ii. Transfer pellet to 1.5 mL tube, then wash 20 seconds with 150 mM ammonium acetate.
iii. Centrifuge again at 2500 rpm 1-3 min, then remove liquid.
iii. Flash freeze samples by dipping the bottom of tube into liquid nitrogen until pellet is frozen.
iv. Store 1.2 - 2 mL screw-top cryogenic storage vials immediately and store in a cryobox at -80°C. . c.Alternatively, 100-500 uL pre-extracted sample lysates can be sent. In this case, please do not extract samples until we have approved your extraction protocol.
8. Plant Material
a. Aliquot a minimum of 100 mg wet weight (or 50 mg dry weight) for all samples and store in 1.2 - 2 mL screw-top cryogenic storage vials. When preparing aliquots from frozen sources, work on dry ice and use pre-chilled materials.
b. Flash-freeze samples immediately and store in a cryobox at -80°C.