CONFERENCEThe Microbial Strain Collection of Latvia (MSCL), is a structural unit of University of Latvia, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Institute of Microbiology and Biotechnology. MSCL was established in 1993, and it operates in accordance with the Latvian Cabinet of Ministers Order No.371/11.09.1996.
MSCL is the largest microbiological resource repository in Latvia, its activities are focused on preserving biological diversity ex situ and developing microbiology and biotechnology fields that are traditionally characteristic and promising for Latvia. The collection holds more than 1,700 different cultures of bacteria, yeasts and filamentous fungi, from which the majority were isolated in Latvia and are the only samples of their kind. Microorganisms are stored in a metabolically inactive state—in liquid nitrogen.
Microorganisms from the collection are used for research and educational purposes at the University of Latvia and other academic institutions, as well as for commercial orders. MSCL is also involved in the educational process at the University of Latvia, with several students annually working on their bachelor's and master's theses based on the MSCL collection.
The Collection is a member of the World Federation for Culture Collections (WFCC) European Culture Collection's Organization (ECCO), World Data Centre for Microorganisms (WDCM), and European Research Infrastructure Consortium for Microbial Resource Research (MIRRI-ERIC). MSCL is also the coordinator of the national node of Latvia for MIRRI-ERIC.
Since May 31, 1997, the World Intellectual property Organization (WIPO) has granted the Microbial Strain Collection of Latvia the status of an International depositary authority (IDA) for microorganism deposition in accordance with the Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure. As with the status, MLSC, fulfilling these international obligations, is available to any depositor worldwide.
Main services provided by MSCL:
- Depositing microorganism cultures (for public access, patenting, safe deposit);
- Issuing microorganism cultures;
- Isolating, purifying, and identifying microorganism cultures;
- Providing consultations to clients.
MSCL is working together with Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry on a Latvian Council of Science project titled “Innovative anti-inflammatory and anti-pathogenic systems based on proanthocyanidins isolated from lignocellulosic waste from fruit bush agriculture” as well as Latvian Biomedical research and study centre on a Latvian Council of Science project titled “Genomics and transcriptomics guided trait stacking of antagonistic mechanisms utilized by Streptomyces spp. from underexplored strain collection in syncoms against pathogens causing ash dieback and acute oak decline”. MSCL is also involved in the EU Horizon-INFRA-2024-TECH-01 project "MALDIBANK: Multi-domain Open MALDI Spectra Archive for Identification of Microorganisms" together with other MIRRI-ERIC partners.
