Sampling

What is the best way to sample fecal material?
We send 20 mL scintillation vials. If you fill these half-way with sample, that will be more than enough sample. How you get the fecal material into there i...
Mon, 5 Aug, 2019 at 3:52 PM
Do I need to know exactly how many samples I will be submitting ahead of time?
No, but a close estimate is helpful so that we can send you approximately the right number of vials.
Mon, 5 Aug, 2019 at 3:52 PM
Can I send you samples in other containers such as plastic bags?
In order to reduce the amount of cross-contamination and minimize sample mix-ups, using our supplied vials is best.
Mon, 5 Aug, 2019 at 3:52 PM
What if I am sending swabs and they don’t fit?
Clip them.
Mon, 5 Aug, 2019 at 3:53 PM
Should I write more information on the vial?
As long as our label and barcode are not impacted, you can add more labels or writing. If you fill out the datasheets correctly, we won’t need it. Typically...
Mon, 5 Aug, 2019 at 3:53 PM
Are those labels safe for the fridge or freezer?
The labels are good down to -40°C.
Mon, 5 Aug, 2019 at 3:53 PM
Should I homogenize fecal samples?
DNA is pretty well evenly distributed in fecal samples. If multiple samples are being combined, these should be homogenized as much as possible to ensure re...
Mon, 5 Aug, 2019 at 3:53 PM
What if I cannot freeze the samples in the field? How do I preserve them?
Either dry them by adding silica gel to the vial, or preserve them with an ethanol solution. We can also recover plant DNA from air-dried samples.
Mon, 5 Aug, 2019 at 3:54 PM
Where and how do I ship my samples?
For most customers, the insulated shipper in which we sent vials to you initially can be used for returning samples. Ship to: Jonah Ventures 5485 C...
Mon, 2 Mar, 2020 at 12:38 PM
Can I send vouchers for potential diet items?
For any species not currently in our database, you can send a voucher for us to sequence and add to our database. For plants, just send a portion of a leaf ...
Mon, 5 Aug, 2019 at 3:56 PM