Core B

Skin Translational Research Core (STaR)

 

The goals of the Skin Translational Research Core (STaR) are to facilitate basic and translational research in skin biology through provision of human skin samples and products.  This includes discarded, deidentified normal and diseased skin, primary human skin cells, engineered organotypic skin culture support, and xenograft studies in mice. The core provides the IRB approvals for the procurement of these tissues.

Important Note: Specialized patient consent processes are necessary for studies that fall under the Genomic Data Sharing (GDS) Policy, this includes all single cell analysis. If the GDS policy applies to your work, contact the the SBDRC at SBDRRC@pennmedicine.upenn.edu before the start of your study to ensure that you are using properly consented tissues. It is the responsibility of the investigator to ensure the use of all SBDRC-provided materials and services are in compliance with the GDS and other applicable NIH policies.

The University is closed December 25th – January 2nd.  Please note the following changes to our services:

  • Cell Core: The last cell cultures will be prepared is Monday, December 15th, with pick up of ALL cells by the end of day Tuesday, December 16th.  The Core will reopen Monday, January 5, 2026, but cells will likely not be available to plate for orders until the week of January 12th. Frozen cells may still be requested in the interim.
  • Fresh Tissue Acquisition: Routine collections will end on Thursday, December 18th and resume the week of January 5th. 
 

STaR Core Pricing

Updated pricing effective August 1, 2025. Download our FY2026 Price Lists:

 

Core B Services

Services

Order

*You must be logged in to order. Login

Primary human skin cells
Primary skin cell culture training
Fresh normal and diseased human skin
Human skin xenografts on immunodeficient mice
Organotypic skin engineering/xenografts
Penn Derm BioBank - COMING SOON

Pricing

Service Rate
Passaging fee- 24 well$13.44
Passaging fee- 12 well$13.44
Passaging fee- 12 well w/coverslips$16.21
Passaging fee- 6 well$13.44
Passaging fee- 6 well w/coverslips$16.21
Passaging fee- T75$13.84
Passaging fee- T25$13.17
Passaging fee- 10cm$13.84
Passaging fee- 6cm$13.17
Passaging fee- 3.5cm$12.84
Passaging fee- 2 chamber slide$13.84
Passaging fee- 8 chamber slide$13.84
Passaging fee- 2 chamber coverglass$13.84
Primary skin cell culture initiation fee (per every 5 dishes)$71.72
50 mL media for primary mouse skin cell culture$26.35
50 mL media for primary human skin cell culture$26.35
Primary human skin cell culture training$329.18
Primary mouse skin cell culture derivation and training$513.59
Normal human skin handling fee (avg specimen size 2 cm2)$76.37
Normal human dermis$50.00
Skin handling fee, basal cell, squamous cell$76.37
Diseased human skin study planning$236.83
Punch Biopsy Procedure$112.43
Genetic engineering of primary skin cells (includes one genetic modification)$118.42
Genetic engineering of primary skin cells (each additional genetic modification)$23.68
T75 dish of 293T cells ready for lentiviral transduction$14.50
T150 dish of 293T cells ready for lentiviral transduction$15.04
Procurement of immunodeficient mouse$90.00
Daily mouse housing fee$0.92
Placement of normal human skin xenograft on an immunodeficient mouse$100.59
Establishing genetically-engineered keratinocytes and fibroblasts in 3-D culture$134.55
Establishing genetically-engineered keratinocytes, melanocytes, and fibroblasts in 3-D culture$134.55
Grafting engineered skin tissues onto an immunodeficient mouse$100.59
Grafting mouse skin to an immunodeficient mouse$100.59

*Pricing is subject to change

Details forthcoming