McMaster is home of Canada’s only gnotobiotic, or germ free, research facility for gastrointestinal disease and other research including immunology and microbiology. The $5 million Farncombe Family Gnotobiotic Facility, located at the Health Sciences Centre, was opened in 2005.

The 3,000-square-foot laboratory’s strict controls ensure sterility and control of the bacterial environment for research into the host-microbial interaction in the gut, a significant issue for understanding immune reactivity in the gut and susceptibility to a range of gastrointestinal and other diseases such as inflammatory bowel and functional bowel diseases, allergy and autoimmunity including diabetes.

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