Yes. All data is backed-up and will be provided to all researchers that we serve.

Colony is different from Excel but not more difficult than Excel. Excel is a spreadsheet – Colony is a tool. Options in Colony far exceed the capabilities that Excel provides. Please know that Colony has two main views: List View and Cage Map View. Starting in List View may feel more comfortable because it mimics basic Excel views. As you advance in Colony, you’ll naturally become fonder of advanced features like the Map View.

User Friendly: YES
Easily Accessible: YES
Intuitive: YES
Flexible: YES

Researchers have no limits to the number of people that can be added to a GROUP (lab account) in Colony. Processes can be set to fit your lab’s specific needs. In Colony, you will dictate strain nomenclature and can input notes, task reminders, animal use cage (ex: experimental), treatments, and more.

There are other companies that offer genotyping services; however, not fully automated, guaranteed accurate genotyping services with a guaranteed 72-hour turn around time. Transnetyx is the only laboratory that does not require human hands – preventing the threat of human contamination. Transnetyx is the only company providing free assay development for real-time (qPCR with TAQman probe) assays. Furthermore, Transnetyx is the only company that offers genotyping and genetic monitoring using the same biopsy. Vanderbilt only agreed to partner with Transnetyx after confirming their industry reputation and recognized performance.

Transnetyx is located in Memphis, TN where it processes an average of more than 100,000 samples/week from leading research institutions all over the globe.

Transnetyx guarantees accurate results in 72-hours or less. IF there are results concerns, Transnetyx will immediately retest samples at no cost to the lab. If required, Transnetyx will redesign/optimize the initial assay designed. Vanderbilt will not be charged until accurate results are produced. In short, Transnetyx will be accountable for errors resulting from assay development and/or results review.

Transnetyx is a very stable company established in 2004 that has processed over 40 million samples globally. Transnetyx processed over 5 million samples in 2023, representative of over 10% growth in sample processing since 2022.

In addition to their core Genotyping and Colony offering, Transnetyx provides:

• Genetic Monitoring
  
• Microbiome Analysis
  
• Artificial Mouse Intelligence (AMI) – an enhancement to Colony
• Animal Research and Compliance Software
  
• 24-Hour Tissue Delivery

Worst case scenario is that labs go back to performing their own genotyping and Transnetyx contract costs are removed from the annual per diem rate calculations. You will still have lifetime access to your data.

Outside of the agreement to help Vanderbilt to serve your research, there is not a financial relationship between VUMC or VU and Transnetyx.

Transnetyx will genotype all lines except founder lines. Transnetyx can genotype F1 generation models if the correct mutation has been confirmed in the founders. Please note that Transnetyx is doing beta-testing with Vanderbilt’s VGER in this area.

Transnetyx first lyses the tissue received and purifies the DNA. 1/3 of the lysate is utilized for genotyping and the other 2/3 is stored for up to four months. When testing a strain for the first time, Transnetyx provides five free samples for any strain that has been custom designed. This is an excellent opportunity to validate the assay(s) put in place as opposed to having to manually genotype side-by-side.

Researchers can request the lysate to be sent back; however, routine/repeated requests will incur a charge.

Transnetyx stores tissue for up to four months.

You can request retests online.

Transnetyx guarantees accurate results in 72-hours or less; however, average completion is between 48-56 hours.

At Transnetyx, we exclusively operate a high-throughput, real-time PCR-based system for genotyping. Our TaqMan assays target specific sets of DNA sequence in either the targeted or wildtype alleles. This means that zygosity for a locus is not determined through quantitative analysis, but by testing for each potential allele that could be present at that locus.

This means that randomly integrated transgenes (without a known integration site) will not have zygosity reported, as a single presence/absence assay will be run. We can provide you with the raw data for these transgenes which normalizes the probe signal back to a single copy housekeeping gene. You may use this for your own interpretation of copy number; however, we cannot guarantee that this raw data will be able to provide you copy number.

Researchers with animals in the VA will be provided with packaging to submit samples directly back to Transnetyx. There will not be an additional cost.

There are currently two TAGCenters at Vanderbilt University. One of the TAGCenters is located in the MCN Facility Entry - 7th Floor just outside of the animal care facility. Elevators 20 & 21 will take you directly to the unit. The shipping days for this TAGCenter are Monday by 3:00 PM and Wednesday by 3:00.

The newest TAGCenter is located in the PRB ~ Located outside the PRB animal facility to the left of Room 801. The shipping days for this unit are Tuesday by 3:00 PM and Thursday by 3:00 PM.

No. Effective July 1, 2023, existing cages of animals ordered directly from a vendor and not bred for subsequent experimentation (as well as future orders of a similar nature) will be assessed the Standard Mouse Per Diem Rate. Existing and new cages of animals bred or born at Vanderbilt will be assessed the MyColony rate whether or not Transnetyx genotyping services are used. This decision was made to encourage the use of available services (automated genotyping and mouse colony management software) which have consistently been shown to reduce genotyping errors/cost, improve breeding colony productivity, and utilize limited housing space more efficiently. These outcomes are essential to improving the rigor and reproducibility of Vanderbilt research studies using mouse models and allow for more responsible use of animals and resources.

Use of MyColony (automated genotyping and mouse colony management software) has consistently been shown to reduce genotyping errors/cost, improve breeding colony productivity, and utilize limited housing space more efficiently. These outcomes are essential to improving the rigor and reproducibility of Vanderbilt research studies using mouse models and allow for more responsible use of animals and resources.