The first pitfall I could see in outsourcing to a university 1000 miles away is communication. While this is not as big of a problem in the United States, if this experiment was in Europe a university 1000 miles away may not share in the same language as those who designed the animal study, and thus there may be errors in translation and communication. This could lead to issues in how the experiment is performed. Communication may also be hindered if the university is in a different time zone. While not the largest pitfall, if something is time-sensitive then time-zones can really mess with how the experiment plays out. To account for these specific issues, it is important to make sure, prior to when the study starts, that all steps and plans are clearly understood on both ends. If there is a language barrier, getting a translator to specify that all groups understand all parts should be enough to prevent further issues. In terms of time-zone related issues, scheduling hours to communicate, or having emergency lines may also be necessary to prevent problems.

Outside of communication-based issues, it is also important to guard against any ethical issues that may arise in outsourcing. In this case, the university seems to have been chosen because of connections and familiarity. That is not outright unethical, but it is a bit questionable since it could be defined as nepotism and other forms of unethical business. To prevent such, it should be made clear that neither the outsourced university nor those who designed the study benefit specifically from the publication of this study later on.  It should also be made clear that the outsourced university did not pay off the research team member who went to school there and that it was chosen due to accessibility, resources, and prior collaboration. A formal contract between the two universities may be necessary to prove such.

When you analyze the circumstances provided above, you will notice that there are several hazards to be aware of. To begin the project, you must first review the research design to ensure that there are no gaps in the information and that everything is clear. Then there's the time taken by the provider to furnish the animals, as well as any delays created by the distance to the lab. The fact that the university is 1000 miles distant is a warning indication that travelling there and back will create delays. To be more prepared, you should contact multiple animal suppliers in case one of them runs out of animals. The final step is to ensure that there is sufficient funds to cover the costs.

While there is a clear benefit in a research member having ties to a previous research university, one has to account for the integrity of that source. Before accepting the outscore of the university, one should research how reliable their supply is. There could be situations where the university might run out of the supplies needed. There can also be times that the university itself would not be able to supply your team as they might face delays. In this case, you should not rely on this source alone and the team should outsource to multiple suppliers given that it's within the budget.