Deposits we accept
If you invent and submit a micro-organism for a patent you can deposit a sample with us. You must provide a full description of the biological materials.
You can deposit the following types of biological materials with us:
- Bacteria, including actinomycetes, that can be preserved without significant change to their properties by using freezing and freeze-drying
- yeasts and fungi, other than known human and animal pathogens, that can be preserved without significant change to their properties by using freezing and freeze-drying
- nucleic acid preparations and phages if you certify they pose no hazard when handled by normal laboratory procedures and you supply suitable material for preservation.
Deposits we don’t accept
We don’t accept deposits of:
- animal
- plant
- algal and protozoal cultures
- cultures of viral, rickettsial and chlamydial agents
- microorganisms which we deem may require special handling and preparation for storage.
We don’t accept any deposit which has a hazard categorisation higher than WHO Classification Risk Group 2. See the WHO laboratory biosafety manual to find out more.
We can refuse to accept organisms that do not comply with any of our listed conditions.