Cultivarium Announces Collaboration with ATCC to Expand Repertoire of Microbes Available for the Bioeconomy

WATERTOWN, Mass., April 18, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Cultivarium, the focused research organization creating open-source tools to expand access to uncharacterized microorganisms, and ATCC, the premier global biological materials management and standards organization, have entered a multi-phase research collaboration to expand the use of non-model microorganisms. The collaboration seeks to expand the utility of ATCC’s microbiology reference materials to accelerate biomanufacturing and biotechnology research and development by making more microorganisms accessible.

The study of non-model organisms has already yielded transformative molecular tools, including green fluorescent protein (GFP), the enzyme Taq polymerase, and the CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing system. And yet, today’s bioeconomy relies on a handful of model microbes among the large number of species identified.

“We believe ATCC’s collection of authenticated biological materials has untapped potential that could hold the key to solving problems in industries such as agriculture, food production, climate, materials, and medicine,” said Ruth Cheng, Ph.D., senior vice president and general manager, research & industrial solutions, ATCC. “By working with Cultivarium, we can expand the use of understudied microorganisms.”

“The ATCC collection of cell and microbial reference materials is a global standard that has been the basis of incredible scientific breakthroughs,” said Henry Lee, Ph.D., co-founder, and chief executive officer, Cultivarium. “Our goal is to expand the reach of ATCC’s collection by making these organisms genetically tractable to the life science community. This is the first, but vital, step in accelerating the growth of the bioeconomy.”

Cultivarium’s experts will continue to delve into ATCC’s vast collection of microorganisms with a focus on promising but currently under-utilized strains with remarkable characteristics. Cultivarium will generate open-source protocols, data sets, and tools that will be published on the Cultivarium portal. Authenticated strains and their associated genomic data can be accessed through ATCC.

About Cultivarium
Cultivarium is creating open-source life science tools to expand access to novel microorganisms, inspire new research avenues, and push the frontiers of biotechnology. A Convergent Research Focused Research Organization (FRO), Cultivarium’s five-year mission is to generate and share foundational genomic resources and bioengineering techniques for making new microorganisms accessible to research and development organizations. For more information, visit www.cultivarium.org.

About ATCC
ATCC is a premier global biological materials and information resource and standards organization and the leading developer and supplier of authenticated cell lines, microorganisms, and associated data for academia, industry, and government. With a history of scientific contributions spanning nearly a century, ATCC offers an unmatched combination of being the world’s largest and most diverse collection of biological reference materials and data, and is a mission-driven, trusted partner that supports and encourages scientific collaboration. ATCC products, services, partnerships, and people provide the global scientific community with credible, advanced model systems to support complex research and innovations in basic science, drug discovery, translational medicine, and public health. ATCC is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization headquartered in Manassas, Virginia, and a research and technology center of excellence in Gaithersburg, Maryland. For more information, visit www.atcc.org.

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SOURCE Cultivarium