Culture collections
UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) culture collections offer a range of products and services for medical science and laboratory healthcare use.
UKHSA maintains 4 collections of preserved, authenticated cell lines and microbial strains for use in medical science and laboratory healthcare.
All the collections are developed, managed and maintained by highly trained staff who work in accordance with internationally recognised quality standards including certification to ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 17025:2017.
Cultures from the collections are used by scientists who need to reassure themselves and others that the materials they are using are authentic, so the conclusions to their studies are valid and relevant.
The collections
The 4 collections are:
- the European Collection of Authenticated Cell Cultures (ECACC) for cell lines
- the National Collection of Type Cultures (NCTC) for bacteria
- the National Collection of Pathogenic Viruses (NCPV) for viruses
- the National Collection of Pathogenic Fungi (NCPF) for fungi
Products
UKHSA culture collections offer:
- bacteria and mycoplasmas
- bacteriophage
- cell lines and hybridomas, including induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs)
- viruses
- irradiated viruses
- fungi
- DNA
Services
UKHSA culture collections offer:
- cell line authentication services
- contract cell culture
- DNA extraction
- RNA extraction
- human genetic services
- mycoplasma testing
- sterility testing
- contract freeze-drying
- catalogue deposits
- patent deposits
- safe deposits
- training courses
For more information on the products and services available, visit the culture collections website.
Contact
Culture collections
UK Health Security Agency
National Infection Service, Porton Down
Salisbury
SP4 0JG
Email culturecollections@ukhsa.gov.uk
Telephone 01980 612 512
Updates to this page
Published 31 July 2014Last updated 27 July 2023 + show all updates
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Removed RNA and cDNA from list of products, and added irradiated viruses.
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Updated list of products and services.
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First published.