Micoteca da Universidade do Minho creating opportunities for exploitation and utilization of microbial resources

Abstract

Micoteca da Universidade do Minho (MUM) was founded in 1996 with the mission to be a resource centre for fungal biodiversity preservation and information creating solutions for sustainable development and human well-being. It has implemented since 2011 a Quality Management System based on the normative reference ISO 9001. The scope of the certification is centred in the deposit, preservation and supply of well characterised filamentous fungal strains. The main objective of MUM is to maintain and provide quality and authentic fungal strains for biotechnological and life sciences research as well as acting as a centre for knowledge, information and training in the field of mycology. With over 20 years of activity it has achieved several landmarks such as being the driving force for University of Minho host the statutory seat of the pan-European microbial resource research infrastructure (MIRRI). MUM has striving for the implementation of Portuguese microBiological Resource Center Network (Pt-mBRCN) and, more recently, the Portuguese node for MIRRI. It has currently in its e-catalogue over 800 strains, from 261 different species belonging to 78 genera. MUM fungal collection started with its main focus on Aspergillus and Penicillium genera from food matrices, however, MUM is a dynamic collection and has widened its holdings according to national and international collaborations and demands adding, throughout the years, environmental and clinical isolates. With the premise of continual improvement of quality in the services offer by MUM and without losing its vision A world in which fungal biodiversity is preserved and available for all the major key-performance indicators of this collection, including some success stories, will be presented and discussed.