| I don’t have enough space to maintain all the animals I need. |
| I need to import a new strain with unknown or questionable health status. |
| My facility has had a disease outbreak and I need to fix it. |
| I need to get study-ready animals faster. |
| I need help with my genotyping. |
| I have a strain that is no longer breeding and I need to save it. |
| I’m worried about not having a backup for my strains in case of a disaster. |
| general questions |
| What is required to initiate a project with GEMS? |
| In general, we require a completed Model Information Form and a valid purchase order or credit card. If this is the first time you or your facility has worked with GEMS, we may also require a services agreement. Our dedicated team of project initiation specialists will work closely with you to help you get the necessary information and arrange for the animals to arrive at our facility. |
| How can I get a quote for my project? |
| You can either complete a quote request form or email us the details of your needs at gems@crl.com.
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| What health standards do my animals have to meet in order to be accepted into your facilities? |
| None. While we will always request a health report on each colony we import, there are no restrictions in place that would prevent us from accepting the animals. We utilize a unique isolator housing system that provides for microbiological and genetic containment giving you peace of mind that your animals are maintained in their own dedicated environment. |
| How can you help me get my animals from a collaborator? |
| Thanks to Charles River's global network of facilities, we can quickly and easily import animals from any facility throughout the world. Our project initiation specialists works with you, your collaborator, and the local Charles River facility to secure import permits, schedule animal shipments, coordinate transportation, and receive your animals into one of our GEMS facilities. |
| What genetically engineered models can I obtain from Charles River? |
| We have several transgenic models available from various locations. In addition, Charles River is the sole custodian and distributer of the DeltaBase created by Deltagen. For more information on the DeltaBase, please visit the Deltagen website. |
| Can I license my model to Charles River for distribution? |
| Yes. The first step of the process is to complete our model in-licensing form. From there, our scientific oversight committee will evaluate your model and contact you for any additional information. |
| animal creation questions |
| How can I have a novel model created by Charles River? |
| If you already have targeted embryonic stem (ES) cells, we can create your model for you through our ES Cell Injection service.
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| breeding & aging questions |
| How will my colony be managed while it is at your facility? |
| At Charles River, we employ a dedicated team of project managers who are responsible for the colony while it is in our care. One of them will be assigned to your project and will be your primary contact point for all project instructions, questions, and reporting. |
| What kind of reports will be provided to me while my animals are at your facility? |
| We have a standardized spreadsheet report that we provide to you on a regular schedule based on your needs and the complexity of the colony. However, we can customize our reporting format to provide you with the information you need in the clearest way possible. Reporting format is one of the discussions you can have with your project manager. Regardless of the format you choose, all reports are available 24 hours a day from our on-line client access portal. |
| What happens if one of my animals becomes sick while it's at your facility? |
| We carefully monitor the health of all animals in our care and report any abnormalities to you as soon as they occur. We make recommendations based on the severity of the issue and the relative importance of the particular animal to your breeding goals. However, ultimately, in all cases except the most severe, the decision is up to you. Whatever you decide, we will carry out the instructions and if appropriate, continue to closely monitor the animal and report any change in condition back to you. |
| My animals require genetic testing. Can your facility accommodate this? |
| Yes. We have a full-service genetic testing laboratory that is available for all colonies housed with us. This lab can also provide high-quality, fast genetic testing services for colonies housed in your facility. |
| I need to breed my genetically engineered animals with another strain available at a different vendor. Can you order these animals for me? |
| Yes. We can order any commercially available strain from other vendors. Your project manager can coordinate the order to coincide with the arrival of your animals. |
| cryopreservation questions |
| Is sperm cryopreservation the best option for backing up my genetically engineered line? |
| While sperm cryopreservation is often a suitable option for protecting your valuable line, there are many factors to take into consideration when choosing sperm versus embryo cryopreservation. Our dedicated team of project initiation specialists will work with you to determine the best way to cryopreserve your unique line based on factors such as zygosity, genetic complexity, and background of the model. We know there is no "one size fits all" approach to cryopreservation and are committed to ensuring that your cryopreserved stock can recover useful animals quickly and efficiently, allowing you to resume your research more rapidly.
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| How many animals do I need to provide you to cryopreserve my line? |
| Depending on the cryopreservation option you choose, our minimum animal requirements are only two gene carrier males, less than six months of age. Cryopreserving homozygous lines and lines with more complex genetics will require additional animals. One of our project initiation specialists can help you estimate animal requirements for your specific situation. If you don't have enough animals to cryopreserve your strain, we offer an extensive array of breeding services to expand your line. |
| How many embryos or how much sperm do you recommend I cryopreserve? |
| In general, we recommend freezing 200 - 300 embryos or the sperm from two gene carrier males. However, factors such as genetic complexity, background of the model, and value of a particular strain can significantly alter the amount of cryopreserved stock you should store. Our project initiation specialists can evaluate your particular strain(s) and make recommendations accordingly. |
| What recovery guarantees does Charles River provide me for lines I cryopreserve with you? |
| Thanks to the comprehensive quality control measures that we perform on every strain we cryopreserve, we guarantee live animal recovery from any line that meets our recommended storage goals and our quality control procedures. |
| How quickly can you provide me with live animals born from my cryopreserved stock? |
| In general, we can deliver live animals to you in 10 - 12 weeks from the date you request recovery. If you wish to recover a large breeding colony, it may take up to 15 weeks to achieve your goal. |
| quarantine questions |
| How long does your standard quarantine procedure take? |
| Our standard quarantine health testing protocol takes about 10 weeks to complete. However, we can custom design a protocol that meets the health requirements of your facility and your need to receive the animals as quickly as possible. |
| Can you breed my animals during the quarantine period? |
| Yes. Thanks to our unique isolator housing system, your animals are in their own dedicated environment with space to breed. This can help jump start your research by having more animals available at the completion of the quarantine process. |
| rederivation questions |
| How long does rederivation take? |
| In general, our standard rederivation procedure takes 12 weeks to complete, our rapid rederivation procedure takes five weeks to complete, and our IVF rapid expansion program takes 15 weeks to complete.. |
| How many animals are required for rederivation? |
| Depending on the rederivation option you choose, our minimum animal requirements are only two gene carrier males, less than six months of age. Rederiving homozygous lines and lines with more complex genetics may require additional animals. One of our project initiation specialists can help you estimate animal requirements for your specific situation. If you don't have enough animals to cryopreserve your strain, we offer an extensive array of breeding services to expand your line. |
| While my animals are at your facility for rederivation, do you recommend cryopreserving the line at the same time? |
| Yes. By cryopresering your valuable strains(s) during the rederivation process, you can effectively backup your line(s) in case of microbial contamination, catastrophic accident or natural disaster, and/or cessation or alteration of genetic expression in later generations. |