GREGoR Material Transfers Policy

Date Approved: November 6, 2024

Date of Last Update: September 30, 2024

Version: 1.0

Background

Processes for efficient transfer of biospecimens between GREGoR Research Centers (RCs) and Partner Members is essential to support the scientific mission of GREGoR. For example, participant samples recruited through one RC may be needed for functional follow-up and/or other experimental assays performed by another RC or Partner Member group.

Scope

This Policy establishes expectations for the transfer of biological specimens between GREGoR Consortium groups (Research Centers and Partner Members), to carry out scientific activities within the scope of the GREGoR Consortium. Transfers between institutions that are part of GREGoR but for which the sample transfer is not directly related to GREGoR Consortium activity are out of scope.

Policy

The GREGoR Consortium’s preferred approach is to use the Uniform Biological Material Transfer Agreement (UBMTA) template agreement to execute biospecimen transfers. However, the UBMTA may not be the best fit for transferring certain biological materials, which may require other agreements. Alternative approaches using an AUTM material-specific template may be required. For example, Stanford requires use of the MTA for Human Tissues template agreement for transfer of participant samples. GREGoR Consortium members are encouraged to maintain an up-to-date list of their institution’s MTA contact(s) and preferred template (see Related Resources below).

If use of the UBMTA or AUTM material-specific templates are not feasible for a specific institution or scenario, the parties involved should contact the Policy WG to discuss.

Details of the UBMTA implementation are below:

  1. Each RC institution is a signatory to the general UBMTA.
  2. Each individual transfer involves an implementing letter to minimally specify the sending and receiving institutions.
  3. A template implementing letter is provided to describe GREGoR activities more generally (see Related Resources below), and may be useful for enabling recurring transfers between institutions without the need for a new implementing letter each transfer.
  4. New institutions joining GREGoR (e.g. as Partner Members) that need to transfer or receive samples should sign onto the general UBMTA if they have not already.

Details of the MTA for Human Tissues implementation are below: 

  1. A general MTA for Human Tissues amongst GREGoR Consortium groups is provided (see Related Resources below), and may be useful for enabling recurring transfers between institutions without the need for a new MTA each transfer. 
  2. New institutions joining GREGoR (e.g. Partner Members) that need to transfer or receive samples with Stanford should reach out to the Stanford GREGoR MTA contact(s) to initiate incoming and/or outgoing MTAs with their institution. 
  3. Once the incoming and/or outgoing MTAs are executed, Stanford will evaluate the materials being sent and/or received on an ongoing transfer-by-transfer basis and will determine if the MTA needs to be amended. 
  4. GREGoR Consortium members do not need to sign the general UBMTA nor need to provide an implementing letter for this approach. 
     

Related Policies

Related Resources

Change Log

  • V1.0 - Initial Policy, approved by SC on November 6, 2024