McMaster University is home to the Farncombe Family Axenic-Gnotobiotic Facility, a state-of-the-art gnotobiotic research facility with axenic embryo transfer capabilities, operating since 2007. This 3,000-square-foot laboratory provides a controlled, germ-free environment in which to study host-microbial interactions. In addition to generating and housing gnotobiotic animals on prescribed genetic backgrounds for internal and external clients, the Facility is unique in that it has the capacity and infrastructure to enable the performance of long-term experimentation under controlled environmental conditions in diverse areas of biomedical sciences.

What we offer

• Sterility and a strictly controlled bacterial environment for the study of host-microbial interactions in the gut
• Axenic (germ-free) mice which can be purchased from the Facility or housed in the Facility in germ-free status for a per diem rate

We can help you

• Purchase germ-free mice
• Re-derivate a mouse strain in germ-free conditions
• Obtain tissues and ship to your facility

How we do it

• Axenic (germ-free) mice obtained by two-stage embryo transfer (ET)
• Axenic breeding and limited microbiota breeding (ASF, oligoMM)
• Facility equipped with recently renewed flexible film gnotobiotic isolators as well ISO Cage Positive isolators
• Specific experimental facilities (e.g. animal behavior isolator), sterile procedure rooms, as well as Level 2 biohazard housing and procedure area available