Effective 10/27/25, we will be requiring pre-transfer pathogen testing for animals leaving suites with quarantines in MRB or Ross 3/5 that are going to be housed in other central facilities, such as SPH, Wilmer Woods, and buildings at the Homewood campus.
This effort is to protect the biosecurity of our vivaria and is hopefully a temporary measure.
For example, if 12G is under quarantine, animals that are housed in 12A would require pre-transfer testing before transfer to Wilmer Woods for housing.
– Transfer testing will not be required from MRB to Ross.
– Transfer testing will not apply to animals going to lab spaces for terminal procedures.
For all transfers scheduled to occur after 10/27/25, labs must provide at least 3 weeks notice ahead of the transfer, to include time to collect pre-transfer testing if needed. This means that the Animal Transfer Form MUST be submitted at least 3 weeks prior to the scheduled transfer. Cages must be marked by the lab. RAR staff will collect and submit samples for testing. Results take up to 2 weeks to come back from the lab.
We understand that this additional requirement increases the burden on the scheduling of experimental work, and we thank you for abiding by these procedures to enhance our biosecurity practices. While we cannot accelerate testing time, RAR will cover the costs associated with pre-transfer testing for animals leaving MRB for outlying areas. By 11/30/25, we will reassess the need for this testing and cost coverage.
Please visit our Rodent Transfers Within JHU page for more details.