Where published work is expected to include the description of new species or subspecies or otherwise novel organisms, Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) grant holders are expected to make these organisms, or the associated germplasm material, available to other researchers through deposition in a recognised biological collection. Recognised collections are considered to be those which publish catalogues of holdings, and which make organisms available for use to all UK researchers with appropriate expertise.
Applicants and associated researchers should refer to their plans for making available the organisms in their research grant application. Organisms should be offered to the most appropriate UK collection. If no UK collection is able to accept them, they should be offered to a recognised overseas collection. If no collections will accept the organisms, it is expected that the grant holders themselves should make them available to the scientific community for a minimum period of two years following the publication of any paper describing those organisms.
For microorganisms, applicants should note that the requirements of intellectual property rights may mean that organisms may have to be lodged in a culture collection registered for this purpose under the 1977 Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms for the purpose of patent procedure.
Last updated: 21 November 2022