What to do for Friday Blood Draws

NCRAD is not open for business on Saturday or Sunday; therefore, we ask that no samples be shipped on a Friday. We cannot guarantee the conditions in which the samples will be held by the shipping courier over the weekend. It is important to have plans in place for each type of sample to be held over the weekend prior to shipping. Please refer to the table below for how to handle samples drawn on a Friday.

When possible, please only ship frozen samples on Monday-Wednesday. There is always the potential for an unexpected shipping courier delay and by shipping Monday through Wednesday there should be enough time to receive the samples before the weekend.

Sample Type

Tube Type

Product

Shipment Method

Friday Draw Instructions

Whole Blood

Sodium Heparin

PBMC

Ambient

DO NOT DRAW ON FRIDAY. Must be drawn on Monday – Thursday.

Whole Blood

EDTA Tube

DNA Only

Ambient

Do NOT refrigerate. Please keep sample at room temperature until the specimen can be shipped via next day delivery methods the following Monday.

Whole Blood

EDTA Tube

DNA Only

Frozen

Whole blood in EDTA may be frozen in a -80°C freezer within 5 days of collection and shipped frozen on dry ice to NCRAD to remain within the stability window for DNA extraction.

Whole Blood

ACD Solution A Tube

Lymphoblastoid Cell Lines

Ambient

Do NOT refrigerate. Please keep sample at room temperature until the specimen can be shipped via next day delivery methods the following Monday.

Whole Blood

PAXgene™ Tube

RNA

Frozen

The PAXgene™ Tube must be placed on a wire rack and stored in a -80°C freezer. The sample may then be packaged with dry ice pellets and shipped as the study MOP dictates.

Cerebral Spinal Fluid

Polypropylene Aliquot Tubes

CSF

Frozen

CSF must be processed and aliquoted locally the day of collection. Once aliquoted, samples are stored upright in a -80°C freezer until shipment. The aliquots may then be packed with dry ice pellets and shipped as the study MOP dictates.

Plasma

Polypropylene Aliquot Tubes

Plasma

Frozen

Plasma must be processed and aliquoted locally the day of collection. Once aliquoted, samples are stored upright in a -80°C freezer before shipment. The aliquots may then be packed with dry ice pellets and shipped frozen as the study MOP dictates.

Buffy Coat

Polypropylene Aliquot Tubes

DNA

Frozen

Buffy Coat aliquots must be processed and aliquoted locally the day of collection. Once aliquoted, the sample must then be transferred into a -80°C freezer until shipment. The aliquot may then be packed with dry ice pellets and shipped frozen as the study MOP dictates.

Serum

Polypropylene Aliquot Tubes

Serum

Frozen

Serum must be processed and aliquoted locally the day of collection. Once aliquoted, samples must then be transferred into a -80°C freezer. The aliquots may then be packed with dry ice pellets and shipped frozen as the study MOP dictates.