What are Endangered Culture Collections?

Culture collections are endangered when their continued functions are threatened, for instance by lack of funding, withdrawal of infrastructural support, or the retirement or death of the curator or other key personnel.

The U.S. Federation of Culture Collections is concerned about the futures of collections and its Committee for Endangered Collections of Microbes established this page to aid in the relocation of endangered collections.

The following culture collections have indicated that they are either in danger or anticipate danger of discontinuation of services. In many cases, the curator may be looking for another curator or group to take over the operation of the collection.

The three collections below are collections that have contacted the Committee by electronic mail. If you would like to place the name of a culture collection on this list, please send a brief description of the collection and information on whom to contact to David Boone (BooneD@pdx.edu).

Collections identified as endangered:

       Frankia strains, collection now defunct
       Luria's collection of Escherichia coli, now defunct
       Acetic Acid Bacteria