Participate in our research

We continuously need more DNA samples for our genetic studies. DNA can be obtained from saliva, cheek swabs or blood. We prefer blood because it gives us better quality and quantity.

If you would like to participate, please contact your vet to organize a blood collection and refer to the instructions below. Remember to fill out the sample form for each of the samples.

SAMPLING AND SHIPPING INSTRUCTIONS

1. Dowload the sample form (link at the bottom of this page). Fill out the form for each sample and send them by mail along with your samples to our laboratory. We hope you can fill in the from electronically before printing and signing. Please include up-to-date health information from the dog and the owner's contact information, including a functioning e-mail address.

2. Include a copy of the dog’s pedigree to the sample submission. If your dog has been eye examined, please send copies of the eye examination certificates together with the samples.

3. Collect 1-3 ml of blood to a purple-capped EDTA-tube.

4. Invert the tube 8-10 times to prevent clotting.

5. Label the tube with the following information: Dog’s registration name and/or registration number, breed and date of collection. Make sure that the same information is written to the sample form.

6. Make sure that the samples are packed properly. You can for instance place each sample in a small plastic pack in case the blood tube breaks or leaks.

7. Ship to the address at the bottom of this page (the address is also in the sample form). Please let us know in advance when to expect your sample (lgl-kyselyt(at)helsinki.fi).

8. Two to three day delivery services are the best. However, schedule the shipment so that it will NOT arrive during a weekend or holiday period. If the samples were collected at the end of the week, please store them in refrigerator over the weekend (do not freeze the samples). The samples can be shipped in room temperature.

9. The samples can be shipped to us by express mail or you can use a courier company e.g FedEx (if asked in the shipping form, place a value of 1€ for the samples to help them get through customs. In the shipping form, define the shipment as “canine samples for research purposes”).

10. If the shipment is sent from outside of the EU, please include an import permission (found on the bottom of the page). No import license is needed if the sample is send from the EU countries. The import permission has been granted specifically for our research purposes by the Finnish Food and Safety authority Evira and it is for Finnish Customs. If the import permission is not included to the sample shipment arriving outside of the EU, the shipment may get stuck to the customs.

11. Include a proforma to the sample shipment (found on the bottom of the page). Please add sample information and sender’s contact details before shipping. Proforma lets the customs know that the package contains canine samples for research purposes.

Shipping address:

Hannes Lohi's research group
Biomedicum 1 Helsinki, room B310a

Haartmaninkatu 8
00290 Helsinki

FINLAND

All information regarding the dog and the owner will be kept confidential and stored in a secured database. It is also very important to update the dog's health information if there are any changes after the sample has been sent to research laboratory. You can also fill in questionnaires regarding our ongoing research projects. If you have any questions regarding the shipping process, please write to lgl-kyselyt(at)helsinki.fi

The privacy notice explaining what types of personal data are collected and the data are used can be donwloaded (pdf) here.

Thank you for taking part in the research!

SAMPLE FORMS

If possible, please fill in the form electronically before printing and signing.

English form

Swedish form