EMbaRC - A European Consortium of Microbial Resource Centres for Science & lnnovation

Abstract

EMbaRC is an EU project funded under the Seventh Framework Programme, Research lnfrastructures action. lt aims to improve, coordinate and validate microbial Biological Resource Centres (BRC) delivery to European and lnternational researchers from both public and private sectors. Apart from the networking and research activities, EMbaRC offers EU-supported grants for Trans-national Access opportunities. Scientists who carry out research in Europe or Associated Countries can use EMbaRC infrastructures to support part of their research project. ln this presentation, the main achievements of the first year will be summarized. Networking activities allow i) an estimation of overlapping/uniqueness between the consortium holdings, ii) a deep analysis of strain deposit after publication, iii) a review of the training offered by the consortium in the collection management and associated tools (identification, data management, etc.), iv) an harmonisation of the quality manual, v) a first draft for a biosecurity code, and vi) establish the basis of a common strategy to increase the sustainability of BRCs. Joint Research activities focused in particular on storage of recalcitrant strains, DNA storage and species identification by new methods like mass spectrometry ... ln parallel, success stories are being gathered to support the idea that microbial collections contribute to the bioeconomy. Such achievements can be a way to increase the sustainability of collections, and some of them will be presented.