Use dry-ice pellets, and put the tissue in a bag to keep it from 
direct contact with the dry-ice. Throw in a gel pack or two at dry 
ice temperature.
Otherwise, the only idea I have is *don't* label the box "animal 
tissue" or "monkey brain" or "biomedical samples" or *anything* 
remotely like that. I was discussing shipping gold-labeled antibodies 
with the postal service and FedEx, and they both stated that the 
commercial airlines will no longer take any biomedical samples. 
Period. As luggage won't help. Perhaps European airlines are 
different, but I'd call and check.
Your collaborator may be better off shipping the samples back by 
FedEx Priority Overnight, with arrival *not* on a weekend or holiday, 
rather than trying to carry them with her. And make sure someone's 
waiting for them. But again, don't label them as animal tissue or 
monkey brains if it can be avoided. Find out what customs (and other) 
forms have to be attached. And you may not be able to get away with 
not stating that they're animal tissue. Call FedEx, or whoever, and 
question them on this. FedEx, and I assume other carriers, also have 
their own "customs" forms, besides the one on the waybill, and the 
official forms of the country.
Also, be aware that most everything is getting x-rayed. This probably 
is irrelevant to these samples, but it's something to keep in mind.

Phil

>Hi all -
>
>One of our researchers is collaborating with someone from a
>European country (I think it's Sweden).  This collaborator is
>going to attempt to take some fresh-frozen monkey brain tissue
>back with her to her country of origin.  The specimens must stay
>on dry-ice.  We guestimate that it will take her 24 hours to get
>from our -80C freezer to the one back in her lab.  She apparently
>has been in touch with the various authorities because she has
>permits.  I am the third party who is in charge of the actual
>packing of the tissue.  Does anyone out in Histoland have any
>suggestions on how I should pack this material?
>
>
>I have been to the International Air Transport Association
>website, but was unable to get any guidelines.
>
>
>Thanks in advance,
>Margaret
>
>

-- 
Philip Oshel
Supervisor, BBPIC microscopy facility
Department of Animal Sciences
University of Wisconsin
1675 Observatory Drive
Madison,  WI  53706 - 1284
voice: (608) 263-4162
fax: (608) 262-5157 (dept. fax)