Material Transfer

How do I set up an MTA for incoming materials for the first time?

Register with the Industry Alliance Office by completing the registration form. The Principal Investigators and their Administrative Assistant must sign a completed MTA Registration Form and return it to the IAO. Afterwards, either the PI or the registered Assistant can submit an MTA Request Form electronically without it having to be signed.

Fully complete the MTA Request Form for incoming materials and email it to ...

What is the MTA process for incoming materials?

Since the winter of 2015, Berkeley has been transitioning from a paper-based MTA request process to an online-based form in Phoebe. CSS/Department Research Administrators are encouraged to use Phoebe for all new MTAs for incoming materials. Contact IAO with any questions about MTAs and phoebe-help@lists.berkeley.edu for Phoebe-related questions.

Incoming MTAs were previously requested using a paper-...

How do I request an MTA for outgoing materials - materials leaving UC Berkeley?

In order to start the MTA process for outgoing materials, start by filling out the outgoing MTA request form. This form will ask you to provide the following information:

Does the material belong to UC Berkeley? Or was it acquired in-part or in-whole from a third party? If so, under what arrangement and from whom (i.e., under an MTA, informal transfer, purchased, etc). Was the original Berkeley material modified with third party material? If it is UC Berkeley material, is it covered under an invention disclosed...

What is a Material Transfer Agreement?

A Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) is an agreement between the University and a provider that covers receipt of research materials, software used in research, and research data from the provider (which may be another institution, company, laboratory, or agency). All MTA requests for incoming materials or data are routed to the Industry Alliances Office (IAO) for negotiation and execution.

What are some potential issues in MTAs?

Confidentiality: When confidential information is exchanged along with the material, the company may request that such information not be further disclosed. If the information is necessary for interpretation of the research results obtained using the material, that same information may also be required for publication of those results. Having agreed to hold the information confidential could prohibit an investigator from ever publishing the results of work using the company’s material.

Delay in publication: In order to protect potentially patentable...

What is a compliance issue?

MTAs for live animals or custom antibodies must have protocol(s) reviewed and approved by the Animal Care and Use Committee.

MTAs for human tissue must have protocol(s) reviewed by the Committee for the Protection of Human Subjects.

MTAs for hazardous materials and/or select agents must follow EH&S compliance procedures.

MTAs where the decision to undertake the research is based on receiving access to the material(s) from a nongovernmental provider must follow Conflict of Interest Committee requirements for financial disclosure.