Overview
National Collection of Industrial Microorganisms (NCIM) is a national facility and microbial culture repository dedicated to isolation, preservation and distribution of authentic and industrially important microbial strains. Established in 1951, the NCIM is one of the oldest biological resource centers holding especially industrially important microorganisms in the country. Collection holding currently comprises almost 5000 items, including Bacteria, Fungi, Actinomycetes, Yeasts and Algae. All biological materials accepted in the NCIM collection are subject to extensive quality control, phenotypic and molecular characterization by our in-house identification services. In addition, NCIM provides an extensive documentation and detailed identification information on the biological materials supplied. Only nonpathogenic cultures are maintained in the collection. NCIM is a member of World Federation for Culture Collections (WFCC/WDCM with Reg.No. 3) and has an online searchable database of strains. The diversity and quality management of its bioresources render the NCIM an internationally known supplier for science, pharmaceutical laboratories, national reference centers, as well as industrial partners.
Our Research
The research of the NCIM focuses on microbial diversity, ecology and the underlying evolutionary mechanisms (genome evolution, metagenomics), improved methods for the access and ex situ preservation of biodiversity and, molecular mechanisms of biological interactions. Since establishment NCIM has produced several publications, and patents in the areas of microbiology and biotechnology.
NCIM has the specific expertise and offers counseling in the areas like taxonomy, phylogeny and species description, genomics and transcriptomics, Standardization and quality assurance of bioresources, and multifaceted biotechnological exploitation of microbial resources.