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| Misson statement
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The DSHB was created in 1986 by the Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NIH) to bank and distribute hybridomas and the monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) they produce to the general scientific community in order to facilitate research. One intention was, and still is, to keep the price of the MAbs low so that researchers can test multiple MAbs without commitment of significant funds, then continue to utilize those of interest without worry of expense. A second intent was to relieve scientists of the time and expense of distributing hybridomas and MAbs they had developed. A third intent was to assure the scientific community that MAbs with limited demand would still remain available. We have strived over these many years to remain true to our mission. Since 1996 we have been completely self-sufficient, requiring no funds from NIH, and have been able to keep prices extremely low. We intend to continue this policy. The price of a 1 ml sample of supernatant remains $25, approximately one-tenth to one-fifteenth the average commercial price. The DSHB continues to respond rapidly to queries by customers concerning product quality and application. If there is a problem with a supernatant, we immediately retest it and, if necessary, immediately reclone the hybridoma cell line. In the past year, we have recloned 100 lines, with an average increase in immunoglobulin productions of 71%. The Bank has been moved to new facilities for better quality control. It is one third of the way through a two year program to reclone and characterize the major 300 lines for optimum antibody production and higher supernatant titers. The DSHB now banks close to 900 hybridomas and has been growing at a rate of 10 to 20% a year. Recently we obtained a collection of hybridomas against proteins involved in muscular dystrophies, and a collection against the major cytoskeletal elements of the model organism Dictyostilium discoideum. We also received the first 100 hybridomas that will eventually expand to thousands of hybridomas against proteins involved in cancer from an NCI initiative. We have recently been promised several additional collections. In 2008, we initiated the DSHB-Microbe, which will bank and distribute hybridomas against viral, bacterial, fungal and parasitic antigens. The latter bank has already been promised several hundred hybridomas. And in the last twelve months, we have filled over 9000 orders for more than 30,000 supernatant samples and/or hybridomas. Our mission is to continue to grow and serve the needs of the scientific community, as we have done now for over 20 years. And our prices will remain low and our quality high.
David R. Soll
Director, DSHB
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