US Culture Collection Network

We are thrilled to announce that Rick Bennett, Professor in Plant Pathology at the University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, has received the 2024 J. Roger Porter Award! ?? This award celebrates his longstanding leadership and dedication to the preservation of microbial collections, recognizing the critical role he has played in safeguarding these invaluable resources. Rick Bennett will be formally recognized at the upcoming USCCN workshop “Exploring the Value of Microbial Germplasm for Research and Industry,” on November 18 in St. Louis, MO. Please join us in congratulating Rick on this well-deserved recognition ?? Read the release: https://lnkd.in/gmYUmHn7

Happy #InternationalMicroorganismDay! ???? Today, we celebrate the vital role microbes play in our world, from ecosystems to health and beyond. If you have a microbial collection, consider submitting it to the #USCCN registry and become part of the global effort to advance research and innovation! ???? ?? https://lnkd.in/gwSCxH5q

The agenda for the USCCN workshop “Exploring the Value of Microbial Germplasm for Research and Industry” is finalized! Join us on November 18 in St. Louis to explore how microbial collections are advancing research and product development. Register today to not miss the early bird rate for the Phytobiomes Conference 2024, closing on Sept 13! ?? https://lnkd.in/gjzfCUfQ

?? Important #Phytobiomes2024 deadlines this week ?? ? Mark your calendars for 13 September 2024, the deadline for: ?? Abstract Submissions: Share your research and join global discussions on phytobiomes. ?? Early Career Award Applications ?? Early Bird Registration: Save on fees by registering before the early bird rate expires! ? Don’t miss out on these opportunities to be part the conference program! Join us in St. Louis this November to explore the theme?"Harvesting the Future: Bridging Phytobiomes, Agriculture, and Climate" ? ?? Submit your abstract and register here: https://lnkd.in/gdGaGmnm

Registration is open for the USCCN Pre-Phytobiomes Conference 2024 workshop! The workshop will discuss opportunities to advance phytobiomes research utilizing living microbial collections. We will explore diverse types of microbial collections, how specimens are collected, stored, and used in systems-based research. Presentations will also address the IP requirements of microbes when used for commercial research and product development. Date: November 18, 2024 Time: 12:30 PM - 6:30 PM Location: St. Louis, MO, USA Venue: The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center Fee: $55 (or $45 with conference registration) ?? Draft Agenda Highlights: 12:30 – 3:30 PM: Industry Tour 3:40 – 4:40 PM: Session 1: The Culture Collections Landscape (Speakers from UC Davis, CABI, and Iowa State University) 4:40 – 6:20 PM: Session 2: Leveraging Microbial Collections for Research (Speakers from USDA-ARS, University of Hawai’i, and more) More presenters will be added soon. Stay tuned for updates! ?? Agenda & registration: https://lnkd.in/g6B2Y6f6

?? Final Reminder: The deadline for submitting nominations for the 2024 Porter Award is this Friday, June 28! ?? Know a scientist doing excellent work in support of microbial collections? Nominate them now! More info: https://lnkd.in/gaZJ8hZd

?? Only 1 Week to Go! ?? We’re just one week away from the Microbial Genome Sequencing Workshop on June 10-11! This is your last chance to join the event filled with insightful sessions, hands-on tours, and unparalleled networking opportunities with leading experts in the field. ? Workshop Highlights: -Expert Panels: Engage with top researchers and industry leaders. -Unique Tours: Explore the UC-Davis Teaching Brewery and Winery, and the Bohart Museum of Entomology. -Key Discussions: Delve into topics like the Nagoya Protocol, specimen management, and integrating phenotypic and genotypic data. ? Don’t miss out on this opportunity to enhance your knowledge and connect with peers. If you haven’t registered yet, there’s still time! ?? https://lnkd.in/gSaq5FsC We look forward to seeing you there!

Check out the new ARS Culture Collection website! https://lnkd.in/gmVqG9KA Please visit and take a look at the diverse array of bacteria and fungi available as well as other service we provide to the research community.

?? Understanding the Nagoya Protocol: Impacts and Opportunities ?? ? Join us on June 11 for a critical session on the Nagoya Protocol delving into the international legal frameworks governing the use and transfer of biological materials and explore the implications for data, specimen licensing, and intellectual property. Presenters: - Amber Hartman Scholz, Ph.D. from Leibniz Institute DSMZ – German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures. - Matthew Ryan from CABI - Dianna Francis from University of California, Davis ? Gain a deeper understanding of how the Nagoya Protocol affects your research and compliance practices. ? Secure your spot! ?? https://lnkd.in/gSaq5FsC ? #NagoyaProtocol #Microbes #GenomeSequencing

Congratulations to Edward Dudley, Professor of Food Science and Director of the E. coli Reference Center (ECRC) at Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences for being awarded the Roger Porter Award in recognition of his outstanding leadership of the ECRC to support novel life science discoveries. ?? https://lnkd.in/gHu7-aYU The ECRC is the largest repository for E. coli strains in North America, with more than 85,000 isolates representing over 300 species from diverse geographic regions. Under Dudley's leadership since 2017, the ECRC has emerged as a hallmark of success in genome sequencing, with over 7,000 isolates sequenced and made publicly available, facilitating genotype-phenotype studies and enabling new avenues in microbial pathogenicity research. In addition to his instrumental role at the ECRC, Edward Dudley conducts research on foodborne pathogens, using genomics approaches to advance understanding of E. coli and Salmonella biology, evolution, and diagnostics. His findings have significantly contributed to the scientific community knowledge on virulence potential and infection risks at the strain level. Dudley will be formally recognized at the upcoming USCCN “Genome Sequencing and Microbial Resources” workshop (June 10-11, Davis, CA, USA), where he will present how the ECRC collection is leveraged to identify new serotypes and predict bacteriophage susceptibility. For more information about the workshop: https://lnkd.in/gBCEWS9x The prestigious J. Roger Porter Award – managed by the US Culture Collection Network – recognizes outstanding efforts by a scientist who has demonstrated the importance of microbial biodiversity through sustained curatorial or stewardship activities for a major resource used by the scientific community. It honors the memory of the internationally known microbiologist J. Roger Porter (1909-1979) and his remarkable contributions to science. More information including purpose, eligibility, nomination process, and past laureates are available at https://lnkd.in/gaZJ8hZd