How confident are you of the secure storage of your cell stocks?

We can offer to store either existing frozen stocks of cell lines or cultures frozen in our own laboratory under conditions of the strictist confidentiality. This enables individual scientists of commercial organisations to safeguard valuable stocks which might otherwise be difficult to replace.

Give Yourself Peace of Mind

All types of deposit at ECACC benefit from the following features of its purpose built cell storage facility:

• Regularly maintained storage vessels automatically filled from a 1200L reservoir, which is topped up twice weekly.
  
• All storage vessels connected to a telemetry alarm system with trained staff on-call 24 hours a day.
  
• Access to storage facility restricted to designated personnel and controlled by computer pass key.
  
• The management of records and procedures is in compliance with Health Protection Agency, Porton Down site-wide BS EN ISO9001 registration.

Procedure for depositing safe deposits

1. Safe deposits can be accepted as growing cultures or frozen ampoules. Cryopreservation is offered to a depositor as an additional service.
   
2. ECACC cannot accept responsibility for the viability of frozen cultures following shipment. On request, ECACC will perform a viability test upon receipt of ampoules.
   
3. On acceptance, ECACC agrees to hold deposits at the appropriate temperature until the ampoules are withdrawn following written instructions from the depositor or his/her authorised agent.
   
4. A Safe Deposit form, along with a Biohazard Risk Assessment, must be completed with all safe deposit material prior to shipment of samples.
   
5. Once the Bioharzard Risk Assessment form has been received and processed, ECACC will contact to confirm that we can accept your samples and issue you with a reference number (to be quoted on all future correspondence). You will be asked for a purchase order number, which needs to faxed to ECACC as soon as possible.
   
6. ECACC will issue a receipt and confirmation of deposit when all the conditions are met.
   
7. ECACC agrees to abide by any reasonable confidentiality agreement the depositor may wish to make.
   
8. It is important to ensure that when you deposit any cell lines, the name of the cell line is written in full on the vial. If you have already labelled the vial, then make sure the full detail is written in the section labelled 'Full cell line name'.

Conditions of acceptance for safe deposits

1. A consignment may be considered defective and refused if:- 
   
   a.  The package is damaged or perforated in any manner.
   b.  The dry ice is insufficient for the period of time in transit.
   c.  Ampoules are not completely sealed.
   d.  Ampoules are not clearly labelled.
   
2. The depositor is entirely responsible for the charges incurred in the transportation of deposits to ECACC.
   
3. All deposits MUST be accompanied by a Biohazard Risk Assessment and an ECACC deposit form.
   
4. ECACC strongly recommend that a test ampoule is sent with the ampoules for safe deposit, so that viability after transit can be verified. An additional charge will be made for this.

Categories of safe deposit

Animal cells, viruses up to and including ACDP Hazard Group 3 pathogens, cryopreserved tissue (excluding tissues containing plant pathogens notifiable to the UK MAFF) and recombinant DNA, DNA probes and bacteria can all be accepted for safe deposit.

Shipping Instructions 

1. Please inform ECACC at least 48 hours prior to despatch.
   
2. Include the estimated time of arrival and date Flight details (Airway Bill Number if known).
   
3. Complete the required accession form:
   
   It is essential for ECACC to receive copies of ACCESSION FORMS and BIOHAZARD RISK ASSESSMENTS in advance of deposits particularly to allow time for preparation of unusual media requirements, and for Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) assessment by CAMR's GMO committee. GMO 3's cannot be stored at ECACC. 
   
   Any GMO's need to be assessed by ECACC before they can be accepted.
   
4. Send shipments as early in the week as possible to allow for customs delays. Address the shipment to the Deposit Co-ordinator and send the samples using a door to door courier.
   
5. Frozen Shipments must be sent in a polystyrene insulated container with walls at least 6cm thick containing at least 4kg of dry ice (solid CO₂). The code 'UN 1845' for dry ice must appear on the outside of the box.
   
6. There are no import restrictions for non-infectious material into the UK, but to avoid delays at customs attach three copies of a commercial invoice stating a nominal value for frozen vials of 10 US Dollars and the statement 'Non-infectious to Humans'.
   
7. Label the outside of the container as follows:-
   DRY ICE - KEEP FROZEN 
   (State weight of dry ice) 
   BIOLOGICALS FOR MEDICAL RESEARCH 
   FRAGILE
   Depositors name, address and contact number.
   
8. Growing Cultures can be sent in 25cm² flasks, sealed and packed with sufficient absorbent material to hold total volume of culture medium should leakage occur and to provide insulation against temperature changes. These should then be placed in a crush proof container not just a jiffy bag.
   
9. Label the outside of the package as follows:-
   
   PERISHABLE BIOLOGICAL MATERIAL FOR MEDICAL RESEARCH 
   DO NOT REFRIGERATE
   INCUBATE AT APPROPRIATE TEMPERATURE 
   Depositors name, address and contact number
   

BIOHAZARDOUS AGENTS

Should you wish to send cells or organisms which fall within the ACDP3 definition of pathogens, additional requirements must be met for shipment.

1. FROZEN MATERIAL
   
   Labelled frozen material must be placed in a sealed primary container. Use a separate container for each cell or organism type. Absorbent material sufficient to hold the full volume of liquid must be placed around the container(s). These should be placed in a screw capped metal container with waterproof tape which has a 'Biohazard' (symbol), 'Aetiological Agents/Biomedical Material'.
   
   The metal container must then then be fixed inside a polystyrene shipping container so that it will not move after dry-ice is added. The shipping container must be labelled as in paragraph 7 above plus the additional labels:-
   
   a.  Biohazard sign.
   b.  Description of the agent and volume.
   c.  Infectious substances affecting humans (if applicable).
   
   
2. NON-FROZEN MATERIAL
   
   Labelled non-frozen material must be sealed in a plastic bag with enough absorbent material to hold the full volume of culture media. This should then be placed in a screw capped metal container and sealed with waterproof tape. The container should be surrounded by shock absorbing material and placed in a rigid shipping container. This must be labelled with:-
   
   a.  Biohazard sign.
   b.  Description of the agent and volume.
   c.  Infectious substances affecting humans (if applicable).
   d.  Perishable Biologicals for Medical Research.
   e.  Depositor's name, address and contact number.
   
   
3. Please note that deposits into the EC which are, or contain, animal pathogens require an import licence. Please allow 8 weeks for this process and submit information requested by ECACC for licence applications as quickly as possible