THE SAMPLE DROP OFF STATION IS BY THE ELEVATORS ON B2 (Basement 2) LEVEL

Be aware that in general you should only drop off / send samples after having done an online submission. If you need to drop off the samples before having made the online submission, please make sure to have communicated clearly with a member of the core beforehand, or samples may get lost or stay in the drop off area for some time. For shipped samples, we can only accept packages that are expected, so make sure to communicate with us beforehand and to make an online submission. 

Here are the options for providing samples to the core. In case of doubt do not hesitate to contact us. We highly recommend that you discuss any sample drop-off with your contact at HCMS beforehand.

Drop Off

• For Harvard ID holders (any hours) or general drop off ( 6am-10pm):
  • The northwest lab building is open 6am-10pm. You do not need special access during those time. 
  • For access outside of those hours, and if you do not have currently access to the northwest building, please email Sunia Trauger to request access.
  • Samples are to be dropped off in our drop-off freezer and fridge (Shared with the Bauer core). They are situated just to the left when exiting the main Northwest lab elevators (not the parking elevators) on the B2 level. Note that the Bauer core has different requirements for drop-off. For HCMS, please do not fill anything in the paper log. Bring your samples in a bag or box, clearly labelled with your name, lab name and if available SUB number. Email your contact at HCMS, the general HCMS email or the proteomics email to let us know you have dropped off samples.

• • For samples that absolutely require to stay at -80°C (as opposed to those that would be ok in the -20°C for a few hours), please follow these steps
    • Leave the samples on the freezer in a Styrofoam box with dry ice
    • Inform your contact in advance and agree on a time window when the samples will be dropped off

Samples dropped off after normal business hours will stay in the drop off freezer until the next business day, so take that into account. 

• For people without Harvard IDs or no access to the northwest building
  • The building is open 6am-10pm. if you drop off samples personally, please arrange to come during those hours and use the drop off area. 
  •  Non-Harvard ID holders can come in through the main door on Oxford street to drop-off samples on the second basement (B2).
  • You can ship to us the samples via FedEx, or other courier. Have the samples delivered directly to the Shipping and Receiving. They can bring the samples to our lab the same day for further storage.  

How to access the drop off area - see map. Access the elevators to the cores and go to B2

Shipping

• Courier services:
  • Please make sure to inform your contact at HCMS if you are sending samples by courier and to agree in advance on the schedule.
  • For Harvard members not on the Cambridge campus, you can use the internal courier service to deliver samples (even on dry ice). https://www.hums.harvard.edu/mail-delivery/courier-service
  • Other courier services have delivered successfully samples to the core. Please address the samples to your HCMS contact, C/O shipping and receiving
• Fedex/UPS/DHL
• The shipping address is 

Please add your HCMS contact name on the first line. 

Please use proper packaging. Make sure vials are tighly closed and double labelled (with a label resisting solvents). 

DO NOT SHIP to 1033 Mass Ave (this is the general official harvard address for POs)

• Those are handed to the northwest building receiving staff, which then delivers them to the core within a few hours.
• Fedex (usually overnight on dry ice, depending on your samples) works well
• DHL usually has no problems, but depending on the service chosen there might be complications in the delivery (guaranteed early morning services sometimes might not find receiving staff)