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.