Material Transfer Agreements (MTA)

Incoming MTAs are managed by the the Scripps Institute of Oceanography (SIO) or the Sponsored Projects Office (SPO), depending on Vice Chancellor area. 

• Incoming MTAs for SIO are managed by SIO
• Incoming MTAs for Health Sciences & General Campus are managed by SPO

If the Provider has forwarded you a copy of their MTA template, attach it to the Kuali Proposal Development (KR PD) record as part of your submission.

Outgoing MTAs are managed by the Sponsored Projects Office (SPO) or the Office of Innovation & Commercialization, depending on the type of material: 

• Outgoing human biological samples (including associated data): Submit for review via KR PD
  1. No agreement template is needed
  2. Attach the IRB Protocol, IRB approval letter, and related Informed Consent Forms that cover the materials
  3. If the materials will be accompanied by UCSD health data, which includes clinical data, consult the website of the Health Data Oversight Committee to see if HDOC review of the outgoing transfer is needed. If applicable, HDOC approval is required prior to signing the MTA 

• Outgoing UCSD materials (ex. Materials developed by UCSD employees): Submit for review via KR PD
  1. No agreement template is needed
  2. Attach the applicable compliance documentation associated with material type.  For example, include the Animal Protocol if sending Animals, or IRB protocol, IRB approval letter, and any related informed consent forms that cover the materials if sending iPSCs or Extracted RNA/DNA.
  3. If the materials will be accompanied by UCSD health data, which includes clinical data, consult the website of the Health Data Oversight Committee to see if HDOC review of the outgoing transfer is needed. If applicable, HDOC approval is required prior to signing the MTA 

• Outgoing MODIFIED third-party materials: Submit for review via KR PD
  1. Third-party modified materials are materials originally obtained from an external source (a third party) and subsequently altered, adapted, or further developed by a UCSD lab. Examples include:
     1. A plasmid purchased from Addgene that is modified by inserting a new gene
     2. A cell line obtained from ATCC that is genetically engineered
     3. Mice obtained from Jackson Laboratories that are crossbred or otherwise modified
  2. To transfer third-party modified materials, UCSD must have written permission from the original provider’s authorized signatories and/or contracting offices permitting transfer of the materials to a new institution. Laboratories seeking to transfer third-party modified materials are responsible for obtaining these permissions and including them with the Kuali MTA request. If the required permissions are not provided, the MTA request cannot proceed until they are in place.
• Outgoing UNMODIFIED third-party materials (ex. Materials that UCSD does not own and are transferring as an intermediary to a recipient) where UCSD is NOT participating in the research: No KR PD record is needed

Outgoing Unmodified Third Party Materials Process (effective February 2026): 

1. The UCSD PI must advise the recipient to enter into a MTA directly with the owner of the material, in which UCSD is named as the intermediary. Sample language that can be used “RECIPIENT will obtain ORIGINAL MATERIAL from UC San Diego, which originally obtained ORIGINAL MATERIAL from PROVIDER”.
2. Once the MTA between the owner and recipient is signed, provide a copy to SPO at researchadmin@ucsd.edu for our records
3. Once SPO acknowledges receipt, proceed with transfer

UCSD does not need to sign a MTA with either the owner (original provider) or the recipient.

Please note that if UCSD is participating in the performance of the research and is not operating solely as an intermediary, a research collaboration agreement is needed. Submit to SPO for review via KR PD. No agreement template is needed.

• Tsien Lab Materials
  1. The Tsien Lab no longer sends out samples directly. All of the Tsien Lab constructs are available either commercially or through Addgene, to non-profit or academic institutions. For more information visit the Tsien Lab website.
  2. All MTAs for Tsien Lab materials are handled by the Office of Innovation and Commercialization (OIC). Email mta@ucsd.edu. 

Addgene is a global, nonprofit repository that was created to help scientists share plasmids. 

If you are REQUESTING plasmids:

1. Place Addgene order in Addgene’s portal. For more information go to Addgene Ordering Instructions. 
2. Addgene sends the standard material transfer agreement to the MTA team automatically.
3. Submit a request to the SPO using the Addgene Request Form. You do not need to submit a KR PD record when requesting Addgene plasmids.
4. Once both steps 1 and 2 are done, SPO will be notified and will review the submission and approve the request in Addgene’s portal.

If you are DEPOSITING plasmids into Addgene’s repository, contact the Office of Innovation and Commercialization at mta@ucsd.edu. 

1. If the PI is moving to UCSD, please contact SPO (researchadmin@ucsd.edu) as as soon as possible for further instructions.
2. If the PI is leaving UCSD, please contact SPO (researchadmin@ucsd.edu) as and OIC (mta@ucsd.edu) as soon as possible for further instructions.

Reimbursement for other types of materials, such as animals, cell lines, and plasmids, may be allowable, provided that the total cost charged to the recipient organization be inclusive of all costs, which may include taxes and associated fees. Contact the Office of Innovation and Commercialization (OIC) at mta@ucsd.edu for reimbursement questions and a comprehensive total cost to provide to the Recipient Institution.

The Mutant Mouse Resource & Research Centers (MMRRC)  function as a single repository resource with an Informatics, Coordination and Service Center (ICSC) and four regional distribution facilities:

• The Jackson Laboratory
• University of California, Davis
• University of Missouri
• University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Instructions for receiving MMRRC mice:

1. Lab contacts MMRRC (mmrrc.org) and places order.     
2. MMRRC will send a link to the online Conditions of Use (COU)  via email.  Note – this email will most likely be sent from Brian Davidson at UC Davis to the UCSD individual placing the order and to UCSD Animal Care Program.
3. Lab initiates/submits a KR PD request as a Material Transfer Request (MTA):
   1. The “Sponsor” should be one of the four regional centers (any is acceptable, most often used is UC Davis)
   2. The KR PD record should be completed as for any other MTA request; however, there is no need to upload a draft MTA. In the Unfunded Agreement Questionnaire, when asked about a draft agreement, select “online” and note that you have an email with the link and will forward it to SPO at researchadmin@ucsd.edu  
4. SPO will review the KP PD record and request the email from MMRRC with link to online COU be forwarded to SPO, if not already done
5. Once KR PD record is completed by the lab and approved by SPO, the request is assigned to a SPO Officer who will sign the online COU at the link provided via email
6. MMRRC will proceed to work with lab/ACP re shipping materials

Instructions for sending mice to MMRRC: 

1.  Lab contacts MMRRC (mmrrc.org) to send/deposit a strain into the MMRRC repository.  
2. Lab initiates/submits a KR PD request as a Material Transfer Request (MTA):
3. The “Sponsor” should be UC Davis. 
4. The KR PD record should be completed as for any other MTA request and attach the MMRRC deposit form. 
5. OIC will review the KR PD record and the MMRRC deposit form. 
6. OIC will work with lab to complete signature process and provide a fully executed copy of the deposit form to the lab. 
7. MMRRC will proceed to work with lab/ACP re shipping materials