CSBR: Living Stocks, Operation of a Culture Collection of Algae

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

CSBR: Living Stocks: Operation of a Culture Collection of Algae at the University of Texas - Austin.An award is made to the Culture Collection of Algae at the University of Texas at Austin (UTEX), one of only a handful of very large and diverse public collections of living algae. Many kinds of UTEX algae are unique and irreplaceable. Every year UTEX distributes thousands of living algal cultures, at modest charge, to scientists, educators, and students throughout the U.S. and the world. The investigator plans to continue a tradition of service to the research and education communities by providing them cultures of living algae, among other services. The work proposed includes research on cryopreservation technology, biochemical characterization, genomic sequencing and taxonomic identification services. The great interest in microscopic algae as sources of transportation fuel, human food, animal feed, pharmaceuticals, and many other uses makes UTEX algae and services essential resources for hundreds of research projects. UTEX provides hands-on workshops on managing algal cultures, an informative interactive web site, species identification services, chemical composition analysis, and extensive correspondence with students engaged in algal research. UTEX personnel give presentations at public schools, conduct tours of UTEX facilities, assist teachers and students in conducting high school science projects, and provide presentations on the scientific importance of algae to hundreds of children every year at local open house events.UTEX currently maintains more than 3,000 accessioned strains of living algae representing all major taxa, including over 450 type specimens. The primary goal of UTEX is to provide cultures of living algae to users at modest cost. The user community is defined broadly to include anyone who requires living algae for research, educational activities, or technology development. Expanded goals of UTEX include serving as a permanent public repository of newly discovered and recently described algal species of potential value representing a broad range of genetic, morphological and biochemical diversity; serving as a source of information regarding algae to practicing scientists, other professionals, and the interested public; promoting and supporting local science teaching and hands-on scientific activities by school children; and providing practical training services, support services, and supplies that facilitate culturing of algae at other sites. In order to fulfill these goals, UTEX offers a wide range of goods and services to the user community. UTEX provides living algae starter cultures, bulk cultures, growth media, photobioreactors, photometers, genomic DNA and digital images. Services include identification of algae by morphological and DNA-sequence methods, physiological and biochemical characterization of algae, and cryogenetic storage of proprietary strains. Recurring workshops serve more than 30 professionals and students per year. UTEX maintains active research on cryopreservation technology, biochemical characterization, genomic sequencing, and taxonomic identification of accessioned strains. Algae-based research within the local institution is actively supported through the provision of cultures and by consultation with UTEX staff. Every year hundreds of published research articles reference the use of UTEX strains. In addition, many UTEX strains are used in research leading to the development of microalgae-based technologies for the production of biofuels and many other products. A comprehensive web site (www.utex.org) facilitates a secure means for ordering goods and services, provides links to resources elsewhere pertaining to algae, and includes diverse algae-related information.