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Ultra-low temperature biostorage - UoM

Hi.

I'm getting in touch to gauge interest in a new commercial venture for providing ultra-low temperature storage at Manchester Uni.

I've seen firsthand the problems associated with storage of biological samples in -80^oC freezers and liquid nitrogen; from the worries about cross contamination in communal LN stores and the health and safety issues associated with its use, to finding space and funding for new -80^oC freezers as well as monitoring their temperature to ensure sample integrity.

There are outsourcing options available but they can be inconvenient as samples are stored off site. It's also expensive and often involves long term contracts.

I'm keen to find out whether there would be interest in a third way, where -80^oC and -150^oC freezers (as a substitute for LN) are provided and managed by a company but located on-site within your University building. You'd get hassle-free storage, 24/7 access to your samples and you'd only pay for the space you need when you need it.

I've attached a short survey with a few simple questions about your current ultra low temperature storage set up, how you'd like to store samples in the future and whether a commercial, on site facility as outlined above would be of interest to you. The survey shouldn't take more than a couple of minutes and I'll send a £5 Starbucks voucher to the first 20 respondents (leave your name and email in the 'Any other thoughts and comments box' at the end so I know where to send the voucher).

Thanks.

Dan White

Question Title

* 1. Where is your current ultra low temperature storage?

In house: My group/department has its own storage

Institutional biobank

Outsourced: My samples are stored off-site in a commercial biostorage facility

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 2. What do you consider most important when storing your samples at ultra low temperatures

	Very important	Quite important	Less important	Not important
Cost of Storage	Cost of Storage Very important	Cost of Storage Quite important	Cost of Storage Less important	Cost of Storage Not important
My samples are stored on site in my building/department	My samples are stored on site in my building/department Very important	My samples are stored on site in my building/department Quite important	My samples are stored on site in my building/department Less important	My samples are stored on site in my building/department Not important
My samples are available when I need them	My samples are available when I need them Very important	My samples are available when I need them Quite important	My samples are available when I need them Less important	My samples are available when I need them Not important
My samples are secure - only my group members have access to them	My samples are secure - only my group members have access to them Very important	My samples are secure - only my group members have access to them Quite important	My samples are secure - only my group members have access to them Less important	My samples are secure - only my group members have access to them Not important
Robust temperature monitoring and back up storage is in place	Robust temperature monitoring and back up storage is in place Very important	Robust temperature monitoring and back up storage is in place Quite important	Robust temperature monitoring and back up storage is in place Less important	Robust temperature monitoring and back up storage is in place Not important
Conforms to GCLP and/or other relevant regulations	Conforms to GCLP and/or other relevant regulations Very important	Conforms to GCLP and/or other relevant regulations Quite important	Conforms to GCLP and/or other relevant regulations Less important	Conforms to GCLP and/or other relevant regulations Not important

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 3. What have been your biggest issues/problems with ultra low temperature sample storage

	Most problematic	Quite problematic	Less problematic	Not a problem
Not enough space available	Not enough space available Most problematic	Not enough space available Quite problematic	Not enough space available Less problematic	Not enough space available Not a problem
Cost of buying new freezers	Cost of buying new freezers Most problematic	Cost of buying new freezers Quite problematic	Cost of buying new freezers Less problematic	Cost of buying new freezers Not a problem
Problems accessing samples	Problems accessing samples Most problematic	Problems accessing samples Quite problematic	Problems accessing samples Less problematic	Problems accessing samples Not a problem
Freezer breakdown/lack of back up provision	Freezer breakdown/lack of back up provision Most problematic	Freezer breakdown/lack of back up provision Quite problematic	Freezer breakdown/lack of back up provision Less problematic	Freezer breakdown/lack of back up provision Not a problem
Regulatory issues	Regulatory issues Most problematic	Regulatory issues Quite problematic	Regulatory issues Less problematic	Regulatory issues Not a problem
Cross contamination	Cross contamination Most problematic	Cross contamination Quite problematic	Cross contamination Less problematic	Cross contamination Not a problem

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 4. Would you consider -150^oC freezer storage as an alternative to to liquid nitrogen?

Yes

Maybe

Question Title

* 5. What concerns, if any, would you have with outsourcing you samples to commercial storage facility

	Most concerning	Quite concerning	Less concerning	Not concerning
Sample access	Sample access Most concerning	Sample access Quite concerning	Sample access Less concerning	Sample access Not concerning
Cost	Cost Most concerning	Cost Quite concerning	Cost Less concerning	Cost Not concerning
Monitoring	Monitoring Most concerning	Monitoring Quite concerning	Monitoring Less concerning	Monitoring Not concerning
Regulatory issues	Regulatory issues Most concerning	Regulatory issues Quite concerning	Regulatory issues Less concerning	Regulatory issues Not concerning
Sample security	Sample security Most concerning	Sample security Quite concerning	Sample security Less concerning	Sample security Not concerning

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 6. What would you see as the likely benefits of outsourcing your samples storage to a commercial biostorage provider

	Very beneficial	Quite beneficial	Less beneficial	Not a likely benefit
Robust sample monitoring	Robust sample monitoring Very beneficial	Robust sample monitoring Quite beneficial	Robust sample monitoring Less beneficial	Robust sample monitoring Not a likely benefit
Regulatory compliance	Regulatory compliance Very beneficial	Regulatory compliance Quite beneficial	Regulatory compliance Less beneficial	Regulatory compliance Not a likely benefit
Freeing up space in your lab/department	Freeing up space in your lab/department Very beneficial	Freeing up space in your lab/department Quite beneficial	Freeing up space in your lab/department Less beneficial	Freeing up space in your lab/department Not a likely benefit
Cost	Cost Very beneficial	Cost Quite beneficial	Cost Less beneficial	Cost Not a likely benefit

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 7. Would you be more likely to use a commercial biostorage facility if it was based on site within your university dept/building?

Yes

Maybe

Question Title

* 8. Which of the following services might you find useful?

	Very useful	Possibly useful	Not useful
Freezer hotel - rent freezer space when you need it	Freezer hotel - rent freezer space when you need it Very useful	Freezer hotel - rent freezer space when you need it Possibly useful	Freezer hotel - rent freezer space when you need it Not useful
Freezer spring clean – providing the resources to help you defrost, clean and reorganise your existing ULT freezers	Freezer spring clean – providing the resources to help you defrost, clean and reorganise your existing ULT freezers Very useful	Freezer spring clean – providing the resources to help you defrost, clean and reorganise your existing ULT freezers Possibly useful	Freezer spring clean – providing the resources to help you defrost, clean and reorganise your existing ULT freezers Not useful
Green services – reducing the University’s carbon footprint through freezer sharing and energy efficiency	Green services – reducing the University’s carbon footprint through freezer sharing and energy efficiency Very useful	Green services – reducing the University’s carbon footprint through freezer sharing and energy efficiency Possibly useful	Green services – reducing the University’s carbon footprint through freezer sharing and energy efficiency Not useful

Other (please specify)

Ultra-low temperature biostorage - UoM

Question Title

* 1. Where is your current ultra low temperature storage?

Question Title

* 2. What do you consider most important when storing your samples at ultra low temperatures

Question Title

* 3. What have been your biggest issues/problems with ultra low temperature sample storage

Question Title

* 4. Would you consider -150^oC freezer storage as an alternative to to liquid nitrogen?

Question Title

* 5. What concerns, if any, would you have with outsourcing you samples to commercial storage facility

Question Title

* 6. What would you see as the likely benefits of outsourcing your samples storage to a commercial biostorage provider

Question Title

* 7. Would you be more likely to use a commercial biostorage facility if it was based on site within your university dept/building?

Question Title

* 8. Which of the following services might you find useful?

Question Title

* 9. Do you think you'd use an on site, commercial ultra low temperature storage provider, as outlined above, if it was available?

Question Title

* 10. What position do you hold at the University?

Question Title

* 11. Thanks, that's it. Any other thoughts or comments?

Question Title

* 1. Where is your current ultra low temperature storage?

Question Title

* 2. What do you consider most important when storing your samples at ultra low temperatures

Question Title

* 3. What have been your biggest issues/problems with ultra low temperature sample storage

Question Title

* 4. Would you consider -150oC freezer storage as an alternative to to liquid nitrogen?

Question Title

* 5. What concerns, if any, would you have with outsourcing you samples to commercial storage facility

Question Title

* 6. What would you see as the likely benefits of outsourcing your samples storage to a commercial biostorage provider

Question Title

* 7. Would you be more likely to use a commercial biostorage facility if it was based on site within your university dept/building?

Question Title

* 8. Which of the following services might you find useful?

Question Title

* 9. Do you think you'd use an on site, commercial ultra low temperature storage provider, as outlined above, if it was available?

Question Title

* 10. What position do you hold at the University?

Question Title

* 11. Thanks, that's it. Any other thoughts or comments?

* 4. Would you consider -150^oC freezer storage as an alternative to to liquid nitrogen?