The APF offers cryopreservation of murine sperm. Through an NH&MRC Enabling grant the cryopreservation is free of charge for mice that are distributable to other researchers within Australia. The depositor will need to pay for shipping costs. The ongoing maintenance costs are also covered by the Enabling grant. Depositors may also pay for the cryopreservation and on going maintenance of strains that are not available for distribution.

The APF has constructed a database, the NH&MRC Australian Phenome Bank , with a plan to list all genetically modified murine strains housed in Australia. This database is accessible to all researchers. It includes fields such as phenotype, genotype, affected gene, identifier, reproduction efficiency and store copies of MTAs and images of the animals. Researchers are requested to deposit their strain information to the Phenome Bank Curator Stuart Read. NH&MRC Australian Phenome Bank URL: http://pb.apf.edu.au/phenbank.

The APF is leading the amplification of Australian genetic research resources and expertise through its founding membership of the Federation of International Mouse Resources (FIMRe). The aims of FIMRe are to establish standard protocols, websites and nodes for listing, archiving and distributing genetic variant mouse strains around the world. Other key members are the European Mutant Mouse Archive (EMMA), The Jackson Laboratory, the Canadian Mutant Mouse Repository (CMMR), the Mutant Mouse Regional Resource Centre (MMRRC) funded by the US NIH, and key institutes in Japan.

For more information regarding Murine Sperm Cryopreservation & Phenome Bank please contact Stuart.Read@anu.edu.au