The DSHB Mission Statement

The DSHB was created in 1986 by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development to bank and distribute hybridomas and the monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) they produce to the general scientific community to facilitate research. Our first intention was, and still is, to keep the prices low so that researchers can test multiple mAbs without commitment of significant funds, then continue to utilize those of interest without worry of expense. Our second intention was to relieve scientists of the time and expense of distributing hybridomas and mAbs they had developed. Our third intention was to assure the scientific community that mAbs with limited demand would still remain available. And finally, our fourth intention was to maintain the highest quality products and to assist our customers in a timely fashion. We have striven over the past thirty-three 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 very close to cost. We intend to continue this policy. The $50 price of a 1 ml sample of supernatant is still a fraction of the average commercial price, and our other products are similarly less expensive. The DSHB continues to respond rapidly to queries by customers concerning product quality and application. If a customer finds that the effectiveness of a hybridoma or supernatant has diminished, we immediately test it and, if necessary, reclone the line. Our collection of hybridomas has more than doubled over the past year. It now numbers over 5,000. We have obtained new hybridomas from a variety of individuals and institutions, including the NIH Protein Capture Reagent Program, the National Cancer Institute, the European Molecular Biology Laboratory and the Muscular Dystrophy Association, and we eagerly await new collections. A major challenge is to inform researchers of our new reagents. In response to requests from clients world-wide, we have developed in house seven hybridomas producing monoclonal antibodies against native GFP and at least four against denatured GFP. mAbs against eight other tags are currently under development. In the past twelve months, the DSHB distributed over 65,000 samples worldwide. The DSHB remains the conduit for the distribution of mAbs but owns no intellectual property. As a mAb bank, the DSHB continues to maintain and distribute at cost the antibodies and the mAbs which are the intellectual property of other institutions and the NIH. Our mission will remain the same as it has been for over thirty years, namely to serve the interests of basic scientists.