Culture Collection

We supply bacteria to our customers around the globe, for research, quality control and commercial use. The National Collection of Industrial, Food and Marine Bacteria is part of the UK's Biological Resource Network. It is a fantastic collection that includes thousands of ACDP hazard group 1 & 2 organisms.

What the culture collection includes

Bacteria, plasmids and bacteriophage
Marine & food strains
Freshwater & soil strains, as well as strains from an amazing diversity of other sources.
Strains with potential industrial biotech applications.

It is continuously expanding as a result of new accessions from the international research community. We follow international conventions and work to ISO 9001:2015 standards to ensure our culture collection provides a high quality resource today, and for future generations of scientists.

Why order strains from NCIMB?

Quick dispatch: we dispatch most orders for freeze-dried cultures within one working day of receipt.

Diverse collection: The National Collection of Industrial, Food and Marine Bacteria includes much more than you might expect from its name! It includes strains isolated from freshwater, soil and many other locations and substances. Download the A-Z of NCIMB to get a taste of the diversity of our collection.

Great communication and customer service: Feedback consistently tells us that our customers highly value the levels of customer service and communication we provide for both UK and international customers.

Terms of supply and commercial licenses: Our standard terms of supply, set out in our Material Transfer Agreement, are for non-commercial uses such as research, teaching and quality control. However our culture collection is a fantastic genetic resource for industry and we are always happy to discuss commercial licensing. We try to accommodate our customers' needs and operate a flexible model. Terms are agreed on a case by case basis. Visit our Material Transfer Agreement page or get in touch to find out more.

We can supply strains, whole genome sequences and genomic DNA.

Bacteria: Most of our strains are supplied freeze-dried in sealed glass ampoules, but they can also be supplied as an active culture if required. Prices for each format are given here.

Bacteriophages and plasmids are supplied as thawed liquid suspensions in plastic vials.

Genomic DNA can be made to order from the strains in our culture collection. It is isolated under aseptic conditions from actively growing cultures. Dispatch times vary a little depending on the characteristics of the organism. Contact us to find out more.

Whole genome sequences: We can provide whole genome sequences of strains from our culture collection to order. Turnaround time for this service is approximately 10 weeks. Pricing information can be found here.

Please note: The NCIMB strain and WGS data services is intended for research use only (RUO). It is provided to generate high-quality genomic data and polished hybrid genome assemblies from cultivated bacterial strains for non-clinical, research, development, validation, and exploratory applications. This service is not intended to be used for clinical diagnosis, patient management, treatment decisions nor as a sole basis for regulatory or accredited clinical reporting

How to order, revive or deposit strains

You can go directly to our online catalogue to find a strain, or if you already know the taxon and NCIMB number of what you are looking for, you can use the enquiry form on this page to request a quote. Alternatively, use the menu below to learn more about pricing, revival of strains, how to deposit a strain in the collection, or to find a media recipe.

Having difficulty growing a strain?

We are always happy to answer questions about our strains and if you are having difficulty reviving or growing a strain, you can browse our FAQs before getting in touch.