The Frederick National Laboratory is a “shared national resource.” What does this mean?

The door is open. The welcome mat is out.

The Frederick National Laboratory invites biomedical scientists in compatible fields to pursue a partnership and leverage its state-of-the-art technology and expertise. The opportunity is available to investigators at global pharmaceutical companies, top research universities, and at nascent start-ups.

To date, the Frederick National Laboratory’s Partnership Development Office has supported engagements with more than 100 diverse collaborators representing public and private, large and small, and international and local entities. If it’s an innovative research question and aligns with the laboratory’s work to overcome cancer, AIDS, or emerging infectious diseases, the Frederick National Laboratory wants to help move it along.

A partnership with FNL gives researchers access to the unique resources and advanced technologies that can spark a discovery and take an idea to the next level. Partners also rub elbows with resident scientists, many of whom have been recognized as leaders in their field.  FNL scientists share their experience, expertise, and big-picture viewpoint. It’s a true joint effort and can take many forms.

A range of available partnership agreements enable flexible and effective collaborations. Considerations include provisions for data sharing, publishing, and intellectual property. The Partnership Development Office tailors each engagement to benefit both parties.

While many of the individual laboratories within the Frederick National Laboratory are open to outside collaborations, several programs are dedicated exclusively to supporting external researchers.

The Nanotechnology Characterization Laboratory offers an Assay Cascade, a free preclinical characterization, including sterility, endotoxin, pharmacokinetic, and toxicity testing, of promising nanotech cancer therapeutics and diagnostics. Since it was founded in 2004 in collaboration with NCI, FDA and NIST, the Nanotechnology Characterization Laboratory has tested nearly 400 nanomaterials, including nearly every type of nanoparticle used in biomedical research and development. For accepted applications, the services are provided at no cost. The laboratory also leverages its extensive experience to collaborate on a variety of other research and development work.

The FNL’s National Cryo-Electron Microscopy Facility provides academic cancer researchers access to cryo-EM technology for high-resolution imaging. Cryo-EM technologies are prohibitively expensive for most institutions, but they are indispensable to capture the highest resolution structures. This free service meets a critical need for cancer researchers engaged in structural biology work who do not have adequate access to cryo-EM instruments at their own institutions.

External researchers can access specialized support through the Technical Services Program. The portfolio includes more than 25 services unique to the Frederick National Laboratory. These offerings include nanomedicine characterization services, HIV and SIV assays, laboratory animal services with unique mouse models, HLA genotyping, and HPV genotyping. External investigators utilize these services at cost, making the unique capabilities of the Frederick National Laboratory accessible to researchers around the world. Many of these services also include basic consultation with a subject matter expert.

These resources represent only represent a fraction of the Frederick National Laboratory’s capabilities, which are accessible by a variety of partnership mechanisms. Options include contractor Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (cCRADAs), Beta-Testing Agreements, Research Collaboration Agreements (RCAs), or Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs). The Frederick National Laboratory is proud to be a national resource for the biomedical community and invites investigators and entrepreneurs to utilize its unique capabilities and expertise.