A Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) is a document between your institution and the provider of research material (e.g., mouse strains, plasmids, and cell lines) that states the provider maintains ownership of the material and the institution is permitted to possess it for use in your lab. An MTA does not transfer ownership to your institution and does not confer a right of possession or free mobility of the material to you.
This is true even if you paid a fee, which typically covers the cost of shipping and handling, or obtained the material through a procurement agreement, which typically licenses the institution for you to use the material. In most instances when you have obtained material from a provider, the provider requires that your institution seek its permission for you to transfer it to a third party.
Transferring to UVA and want to transfer the material you're using in your current lab:
- UVA is a third party.
- Permission is required.
Transferring out of UVA and want to transfer the material to the new institution:
- The new institution is a third party.
- Permission is required.
Important: UVA will require the appropriate valid agreement to document its right to possess the material you’re transferring.
UVA will require an agreement even if the institution you’re transferring from doesn’t require one or have documentary evidence of its right to possess the material you’re seeking to transfer and its right to permit you to transfer the material to UVA.
Example: You obtained materials from a colleague years ago at a prior institution without an MTA.
UVA will nonetheless require the appropriate document be put in place to permit UVA to have valid possession. This means we will contact the institution where you worked when you obtained the material from your colleague, explain the material was transferred without the appropriate agreement in place, and inform them you are now transferring to UVA and want to bring the material with you so UVA would like permission for you to do that.
Example: You developed a unique mouse strain, cell line, plasmid, or other type of material while employed at another research organization for use in your research.
That material belongs to that organization. If you want to transfer it to continue the research for which you’re using it, UVA will require the appropriate agreement.
MTA and Lab Transfer Resources
We've created the documents and spreadsheets below to help you get started. Because it can take a long time to get the proper permissions and agreements in place, the earlier you complete the spreadsheet, the more information you provide to OSP. The clearer that information is for the negotiator, the faster OSP can get the agreements in place.
Incoming Material Transfers for PIs Guidance
Incoming Material Transfers for PIs Spreadsheet
A Data Use Agreement (DUA) is a document between your institution and the provider of data that you’re using in your research. In a lab transfer, this most often means your lab notebooks. Since the data were generated in the course of your employment at your current institution, that institution owns that data and the notebooks containing it.
Transferring out of UVA
A DUA between UVA and your new institution is required.
Transferring into UVA
A DUA between the current institution and UVA may be required.
Please contact your current institution’s contracting office to determine if a DUA is needed. If your current institution’s contracting office says a DUA is not required, please forward written confirmation from your current institution’s contracting office to your UVA contact.