ISBN 92 9109 043 3

For further copies and information contact:
Dr Alan Doyle, Secretary WFCC
The Wellcome Trust
183 Euston Road
London NW1 2BE, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 171 611 8888
Fax: +44 171 611 8545
E-mail: a.doyle@wellcome.ac.uk

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FOREWORD

The World Federation for Culture Collections (WFCC) is a Federation of the International Union of Microbiological Societies (IUMS) and a commission of the International Union of Biological Sciences (IUBS) with responsibility for the promotion and development of collections of cultures of microorganisms and cultured cells. As such, it has an on-going concern with all aspects of culture collection activity and in particular with the encouragement of new initiatives and improvement in the standards of scientific services provided to the international user community.

The increasing demands on culture collections for authenticated, reliable biological material and associated information have paralleled the growth of biotechnology. More recently, worldwide recognition of the need to conserve the microbial gene pool for future study and exploitation by mankind has highlighted the need for centres of expertise in culture isolation, maintenance, identification and taxonomy. The Convention on Biological Diversity places additional demands on culture collections in terms of conservation and capacity building.

These demands have alerted the WFCC to the need for providing recommendations for good practice in culture collections so that new collections have guidance and existing collections have approved standards of operation to adhere to or endeavour to attain. As a result, the Federation has prepared these guidelines for use by all culture collections, whether major service collections or smaller research collections, with the purpose of promoting high standards of operation in all microbial resource centres.

It is hoped that the Guidelines prove valuable and encouraging. The WFCC wishes to emphasise that high standards of scientific service can be achieved in laboratories with modest resources and sophisticated equipment is not a prerequisite for good microbiological practice; the principles listed in the Guidelines may be applied to any culture collection regardless of size or economic standing.

Our thanks are extended to members of the WFCC Executive Board and Committees for their time and effort.

Vanderlei Canhos
President, World Federation for Culture Collections

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

These Guidelines are prepared by the WFCC to provide a framework for the establishment, operation and long-term support of microbiological and cell resource centres as a fundamental part of the scientific infrastructure.

The Guidelines describe:

• The aims of culture collections;
  
• The services they provide to the international scientific community in terms of resources, information and specialist skills;
  
• The long-term support needed to enable them to provide these professional services, including:
  
• Appropriate operational facilities;
  
• Staffing levels to allow operation at a high standard;
  
• Well trained staff with research expertise related to the aims of the collection;
  
• The contributions made by collections to the research knowledge base in terms of taxonomic studies, preservation, growth and handling procedures and other linked areas;
  
• The capability of collections to meet all relevant national and international regulations concerning the control, transportation and health and safety aspects of resource handling and distribution;
  
• The need to provide support and training in capacity building on a global basis;
  
• The need for international collaboration to enhance the value and quality of biological resources;
  
• References and Web sites.
  
  

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CONTENTS

1. Introduction
2. Organization
3. Funding
4. Objectives
5. Holdings
6. Staff
7. Preservation
8. Culture Authentication
9. Culture Supply
10. Publicity and Promotion
11. Other Services
12. Documentation
13. Catalogues
14. Research
15. Training
16. Safety and Quality Standards
17. National and International Collaboration
18. Selected Bibliography and Web Sites
19. Useful Addresses