The UK Biological Resource Centre Network

Bringing together the UK’s expert centres in biological resource curation

The United Kingdom Biological Resource Centre Network (UKBRCN) was established to coordinate the activities of the UK national service collections of microbial organisms. Our members collections services and products include: 

• the supply of cultures, including microbial resistance test strains, reference and Type strains and cell lines
• DNA and extracts derived from authenticated strains
• patent and safe deposits
• cell line authentication
• training
• contract freeze drying and invasive species management

The UK has a thriving medical and life sciences research and development community and biological resource centres play an important role in providing researchers with a wide range of authentic biological cultures for their research. Over a hundred thousand strains of microbial cultures and human and animal cell lines are available from the partner collections for research and development in fields such as food and brewing, biological controls, medical research and manufacture, and for testing a wide of a range of products including drugs, vaccines, biotherapeutics, antibiotics, neutraceuticals and paints.

You can find out more information by searching the databases of the individual culture collections.