Material Transfer Agreements

Research materials, such as human specimens or other biological materials, are often exchanged between The Ohio State University and other academic institutions and commercial entities. To exchange these materials between Ohio State and another entity, a Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) must be completed. This agreement defines the legal rights of each entity in the transfer of research materials.

The Ohio State University Office of Innovation and Economic Development (formerly known as Technology Commercialization Office (TCO)) is responsible for the negotiation and review of MTAs. They assist with the preparation and execution of these documents. Every MTA is required to be signed by an authorized signatory for the university; this can only be done through the Office of Innovation and Economic Development.

For non-human biological material transfer that is used for in vitro research a Simple MTA or Uniform Biological Material Transfer Agreement (UBMTA) should be used without any changes. 

If a PI desires to execute an MTA for human tissue or human research, they should either:

• Notify their management group (Center for Clinical Research Management (CCRM) or Clinical Trials Office (CTO)) so that the appropriate person can complete the agreement on their behalf 
  • If not covered as part of a research management group, complete and submit the electronic MTA request form via the Innovate platform. The office of Innovation and Economic Development will put the agreement in place and provide the PI with a copy of the signed agreement for their records.

Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval may be required before the research materials can be shared or exchanged between Ohio State and another institution if the research materials are human specimens or is being used for human research.