Robert Drape, CEO
WiCell is a supporting organization of the University of Wisconsin–Madison, a world leader in the area of human pluripotent stem cell research. WiCell is a nonprofit organization established in 1999 to advance the science of stem cells. The global leader in cell banking, characterization testing and distribution of pluripotent stem cell lines, WiCell builds on these core strengths by also providing clinical grade cell lines, quality control testing and cell banking services. WiCell offers a wide array of services and support for UW-Madison, all designed to keep UW at the forefront of advances in stem cell technology. Current offerings are described below.
WiCell Core Services
Request a Core Services UW Order Form
Cell Culture Reagents: WiCell has used its buying power to secure large lots of critical cell culture reagents at reduced prices. Each reagent is qualified to ensure that it supports human pluripotent stem cell culture and is of the highest quality. This allows your lab to achieve significant savings of both time and money. You are no longer required to carry a large amount of inventory or waste valuable technician time qualifying each reagent in your lab – or worse, lose experiments due to unqualified reagents.
WiCell Stem Cell Bank Materials: UW Researchers can obtain frozen vials of Wisconsin ES, modified ES and iPS cells from the Stem Cell Bank at WiCell at a significant discount.
MEFs: Qualified mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) are also available from WiCell. Please e-mail coreservices@wicell.org to place orders.
Technical Testing Services: WiCell also offers technical services to aid you in your research, including routine mycoplasma testing and teratoma formation.
Order and Delivery: An order sheet, including a reagent list and associated costs, can be requested by emailing CoreServices@Wicell.org. Material can be ordered weekly and is delivered to two locations on campus along with MEFs (Biotechnology Center and Waisman Center). Cost recovery rates apply, and laboratories will be invoiced monthly. If you have any questions about this service, please feel free to contact WiCell Core Services at CoreServices@WiCell.org.
Characterization Services — Provides prompt turnaround
Our experienced, clinically certified staff provides customized service at low cost with a turn-around time for karyotyping of approximately seven to ten days. WiCell’s suite of characterization services include:
• Chromosome analysis (G-banded karyotyping)
• Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH)
• Spectral karyotyping of human and mouse ES cells, iPS cells, and differentiated cell types
• Illumina’s single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) for copy number variation analysis
• Identity testing by short Tandem Repeat (STR)
Sample Submission: The online sample submission form, sample submission instructions, as well as information regarding the UW-Madison sample courier service are available on our website www.wicell.org/testrequest. Contact the Characterization team at characterization@wicell.org with any questions.
Cell Line Distribution Services
WiCell can distribute cell lines derived by UW investigators to the global stem cell community. Investigators wishing to deposit human embryonic stem cells (ESCs) or induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) with WiCell for distribution should refer to the “Depositing Stem Cell Lines with WiCell for Distribution” web page on the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education’s website for more information.
Long-Term Liquid Nitrogen Storage (WiCellSAFE)
WiCell now offers economic, long-term LN2 storage solutions to meet your lab’s needs. Trust WiCell’s 20 years of stem cell banking experience to safeguard your materials. You can have confidence that the materials you entrust to WiCell will remain safe and secure from disastrous losses associated with power outages, equipment failures, and other catastrophic events, until you need access to them.
Research Support / Facility Use
WiCell is dedicated to supporting stem cell science at the UW-Madison and provides a wide array of personalized assistance to SCRMC researchers. Recent examples of assistance include letters of support for grants, recommendations for characterization testing, one-on-one training, trouble-shooting lab issues, use of WiCell’s facility for emergencies. Inquiries regarding assistance can be emailed to scrmcsupport@wicell.org.