The National Research Council (CNR) is the largest public research institution in Italy. CNR promotes innovation and competitiveness of the research system in Italy. Several CNR units harbor microbial collections with extreme interest for academic research and the bioindustry for biotechnological applications. 

The CNR-IPSP (Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection), the most important Italian research group dedicated to plant protection in agriculture and forestry, hosts (in Torino headquarter and Bari) a collection (Plant Virus Italy, PLaVIT) of more than 1000 isolates of plant viruses, viroids and phytoplasma originating from several countries and hosts and collected over the last 50 years, including heritage strains. 

The CNR-ISPA (Institute of Science Food Production) of Bari is an outstanding, internationally recognized Italian research center engaged in the innovation and technology transfer for the improving of food quality and safety. The Institute holds one of the most important and ancient microbial culture collections (ITEM) of relevant interest for food production, food safety risk by contaminants and food pathogens. ITEM includes more than 13000 microbial strains preserved belonging to various agro-food microorganisms (mainly fungi, yeast and bacteria), 6500 out of them are available as public resources.

PLAVIT and ITEM are members of the European Culture Collection Organization (ECCO) and the World Federation Culture Collection (WFCC). 

The CNR-IBBA (Institute of Agricultural Biology and Biotechnology) of Pisa, aiming at improving the sustainable agricultural production systems and food quality, hosts the microbial culture collection MLIP (Microbiology Lab IBBA Pisa). MLIP collection includes complex microbial communities derived from local soils and microorganisms derived from water, soil, food, and plant tissues (bacteria, microalgae, and fungi, both mycorrhizal and saprotrophs). 

The CNR-ICB (Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry) collection of Pozzuoli harbors two microbial assemblies: Extremophiles collection, that comprises archaea and bacteria microorganisms, and Microalgae collection, that comprises marine microalgae. ICB-CNR is mainly focused on chemical studies of microbial metabolism for the biotechnological development of sustainable bioprocesses.

The CNR-IRSA (Water Research Institute) in Verbania harbors a culture collection (MEGIC) including cryopreserved bacterial and fungal strains mainly collected in freshwaters and caves, especially from the plankton of subalpine lakes or from the microbiota associated with freshwater zooplankton (e.g., Daphnia sp.). 

Beside characterization, valorization and maintenance of microbial resources, the expertise of CNR staff also provide additional external services such as strain isolation, genetic identification, purification, molecular and biochemical analyses as well as training courses.

ENEA is the National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, a public body aimed at research, technological innovation and the provision of advanced services to enterprises, public administration and citizens in the sectors of energy, environment and sustainable economic development. The ENEA microbial collection has been created over 30 years by an interdepartmental team of researchers that has collected microbial strains (bacteria, fungi, microalgae, microbial consortia, virus) from different environments (contaminated sites, hypogea and archaeological sites, food, lake sediments, sea, soil, rhizosphere, water). The microbial collection has several environmental applications: i) sustainability and protection (soil, bioremediation, waste management, restoration of artistic heritage, biorefinery, reduction of climate-altering gas emissions), ii) plant disease suppression and plant growth promotion, iii) production of high-value and bio-based molecules (nutraceuticals, cosmeceuticals, pharmaceutical, biofuels), iv) development of innovative vaccines, diagnostic systems and delivery of targeted cancer therapy (via the use of a vegetable virus). Of particular interest are the collection of microalgae located at the research center of Portici specialized in the extraction and characterization of high-value bioactive compounds from microalgae; the collection of Brindisi including microorganisms from several environmental sources capable of degrading/producing biopolymers from different matrices such as agro-industrial waste; the collection of Trisaia hosted at the Integrated Innovation Centre “Agrobiopolis” providing microbial strains with antimicrobial activity capable of inhibiting phytopathogen agents, yeast strains characterized for the production of bioethanol from different fermentable sugars, and filamentous fungi capable of synthesizing ligno-cellulolytic enzymes widely used in the production of biofuels from waste materials. ENEA laboratories are equipped with several cutting-edge facilities and service platforms, such as those for Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) and metagenomic analyses, useful for the molecular characterization, identification, sequencing, fermentation and conservation of microorganisms.

The MBDS-UNICA microbial collection is hosted at the Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health of the University of Cagliari. The collection consists of bacteria, yeasts and fungi isolated over 30 years mainly from different food matrices, but strains of environmental and clinical origin are also included. MBDS includes the collections of Agris Sardegna, University of Cagliari, and University of Sassari. All data are reported in a federated open access database developed for the dissemination of information associated with the deposited microbial resources and for the promotion of their scientific and industrial use. MBDS-UNICA microbial collection represents a precious source of resources capable of fostering innovation in the regional agri-food industry and contributing to the qualitative and hygienic–sanitary improvement of the various products, as well as being a tool to protect and enhance microbial biodiversity. Beside characterization, valorization and maintenance of microbial resources, the expertise of MBDS-UNICA staff provides additional services such as strain isolation and identification, and consultancy to the food industry for sustainable food production and products diversification.

The MBDS-UNISSCC refers to the microbial culture collection of the University of Sassari. The collection is hosted at the Department of Agricultural Sciences and is curated by the research groups of Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology (AMB) and Plant Protection (PP). The staff of AMB is specialized on yeast and bacteria, while that of PP on filamentous fungi. With a centralized online platform, MBDS-UNISSCC provides a continuously updated database that enables users from the academic community, research institutes, and the bioindustry to browse all available microorganisms (to date ca 319 accessions including bacteria, yeasts, filamentous fungi) and associated data. Beside characterization, valorization and maintenance of microbial resources, the expertise of MBDS-UNISSCC staff provides additional external services such as strain isolation, identification, purification and molecular characterization of microorganisms, supply of starters to produce safe, healthy and sustainable food and feed and for the valorization of agroindustry by-product. MBDS-UNISSCC hosts one of the few baker’s yeast collections in the world. The Laboratory of AMB provides services for agro-food companies and is involved in technological transfer and dissemination of the results obtained from basic and applied research. PP is involved in the development of microorganisms for the bio-control of phytopathogenic fungi, of molecular techniques for characterization of antagonists and plant pathogen microorganisms, and in the identification of molecular and physiological aspects of the plant-pathogen interaction.

The CoSMi-OGS refers to the microbial culture collection of the National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics. The collection is dedicated to preserving marine microalgae, with a staff skilled in the isolation, cultivation and identification of these microorganisms. Microalgae, in addition to their fundamental ecological role, have an as yet unexplored potential for various biotechnological applications, and CoSMi is one of the few official Italian resources for these microorganisms making them available to the scientific community and for commercial purposes. Beside valorization and maintenance of marine microalgal resources, the expertise of CoSMi staff provides additional external services such as strain isolation and identification, set up experiments for academia and industries, preparation of starter cultures for aquaculture and ecotoxicology tests, transfer of know-how for public/private sectors, and education.

The Turin University Culture Collection (TUCC) was born from the union of the microorganism collections present in four departments of the University of Turin: Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology (DBIOS), Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences (DISAFA), Department of Public Health and Pediatrics (DSSPP), Department of Veterinary Science (DSV).
With a centralized online platform, TUCC provides a continuously updated database that enables users from the academic community, research institutes, and the bioindustry to browse all available microorganisms (to date ca 7500 accessions including bacteria, yeasts, filamentous fungi) and associated metadata. This platform ensures legal compliance in terms of management of the collection and Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) of the preserved resources. Beside characterization, valorization and maintenance of microbial resources, the expertise of TUCC staff provides additional external services such as strain isolation, identification, purification and various analyses ranging from genetic/metabolic microorganism profiling to bioinformatics consultancy. Finally, TUCC organizes courses, workshops and other formative activities in the field of microbiology for the training of the internal personnel and for external users.

The UNIBAS-SAFE culture collection includes yeasts and bacteria (isolated from different ecological sources and belonging to different genera and species) of practical interest for several applications in the agri-food, environmental, industrial, and pharmaceutical sectors. The staff of the culture collection has a long and well-tracked experience in microbial ecology, microbiology of fermented foods and beverages (meat, dairy, cereal, vegetable products, wine, beer), industrial microbiology, physiology and genetics of yeasts and bacteria (mainly lactic acid bacteria), predictive microbiology, bioinformatics. The UNIBAS-SAFE culture collection, additionally, is competent in bio-resources management and associated data. Moreover, it has standard instrumentation for basic microbiological analyses, as well as equipment for the identification, characterization, valorization, and maintenance of microbial resources. The staff of the The UNIBAS-SAFE culture collection also provides external services such as strain isolation and identification, genetic, metabolic, and functional characterization of strains, formulation and preservation of starter cultures, and bioinformatics consultancy.

The DISTAV culture collection of the University of Genoa (ColD) contains different types of organisms: filamentous fungi isolated in the Laboratory of Mycology; yeasts from the laboratory of Marine Biotechnology and bacteria isolated in the Laboratory of Microbiology. The ColD collection is unique in the Liguria region, and the strains of microorganisms preserved in the collection are used for both basic research and industrial applications at regional, national, and international level. The main activities of the collection are the characterization, valorization, and maintenance of microbial resources. Moreover, the ColD collection provides additional external services such as strain isolation, identification, purification, and molecular analysis. The collection also offers training courses, the most important of which are carried out in collaboration with Governmental bodies such as the Ligurian Regional Administration and the Local Sanitary Authority (ASL). Attending this course allows participants to obtain the certificate of Mycologist according to the Italian Ministerial Decree number 686/96.

The microbial culture collections of the University of Milano-Bicocca (MicroMiB-CC) was established by merging the microorganism collections from three departments: Department of Medicine and Surgery (DMS), Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (DISAT) and Department of Biotechnologies and Biosciences (BTBS). MicroMiB-CC provides a growing and continuously updated database that enables users from the academic community, research institutes, and the bioindustry to browse all available microorganisms (to date ca 3500 accessions including bacteria, viruses, microbial nucleic acids) and associated data. The MicroMiB-CC online platform, currently under implementation, will be able to ensure complete legal compliance in terms of management of the collection and Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) of the preserved resources. Beside characterization, valorization and maintenance of microbial resources, the expertise of MicroMiB-CC staff provides additional external services such as strain isolation, identification, phenotypic and genotypic characterization, purification, and various analyses ranging from genomic/genetic/metabolic microorganism profiling to bioinformatics consultancy.

The UNIMORE Microbial Culture Collection (UMCC) is located at the Department of Life Science of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, and preserves about 2700 strains, including yeasts, acetic acid bacteria and lactic acid bacteria species isolated from different food and beverages matrices. UMCC offers a useful service for research, teaching, industry and biotechnology. All cultures in the collection are characterized by a polyphasic approach and all the information is carefully managed and monitored by BioloMICS NET software (BioAware). Technical platforms of UMCC Group include basic and specialized facilities for microbiology and molecular biotechnology, laboratory fermenters, analytical equipment, and bioinformatics software for data management. The isolation and the identification of microorganisms, the qualitative and quantitative studies of microbial functionalities, but also the long-term maintenance of UMCC is ensured by preservation techniques and periodically checking of viability, purity, authenticity, and key features of microorganisms, implemented by the research group dedicated to UMCC. Additionally, UMCC provides genetic/metabolic microorganism profiling and bioinformatics analyses for biological resources of the collection. UMCC is a member of the European Culture Collections’ Organization (ECCO) and of the World Federation for Culture Collections (WFCC). Research Group comprises a staff with specific and multidisciplinary skills, including taxonomy, analytical chemistry, ecology, biology, genetic engineering, fermentation, and informatics, and competences on functional starter cultures for food and industrial fermentation processes.

The Research Collection of the University of Palermo (RC-UNIPA) consists of microorganisms collected by three departments: the Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences (SAAF), the Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), and the Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care and Internal Medicine “Giuseppe D’Alessandro” (PROMISE). With a centralized online platform, RC provides an updated database enabling users from the academic community, research institutes, and the bioindustry to browse all available microorganisms (approximately it includes 2500 bacteria, 200 filamentous fungi, 2000 yeast strains, 150 virus isolates) and associated metadata. This platform ensures legal compliance in terms of management of the collection and Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) of the preserved resources. Besides characterization, valorization, and maintenance of microbial resources, the expertise of RC staff provides additional external services, such as strain isolation, identification, purification, and various analyses ranging from genetic/metabolic microbial profiling to bioinformatics consultancy.

The Industrial Yeasts Collection DBVPG (Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences) of the University of Perugia is affiliated to ECCO (European Culture Collection Organization) and WFCC (World Federation of Culture Collections). The mission of the DBVPG Collection of the University of Perugia is focused on the acquisition, classification and ex-situ conservation of yeasts and yeast-like organisms, their distribution to public institutions (Universities, Centers of Research and Development), as well as to national and international private and industrial companies (including SMEs). All conserved strains are available for educational and research purposes; many of them also for industrial development. The DBVPG Collection is cited among the top 5 Collections on a global scale based on the number of stored yeast strains and represents a global reference point for the study of yeast biodiversity. The DBVPG Collection also provides the international scientific and industrial community with consulting services on scientific and biotechnological issues related to the use of yeasts. These include the identification and deposit of yeast strains on behalf of third parties, as well as the organization of specific training courses on the study and use of yeasts. Upon request, research projects commissioned by third parties can be carried out on a strictly confidential basis. The DBVPG Collection is recognized as the International Depositary Authority (IDA, under the Budapest Treaty) of yeasts and yeast-like organisms for patent purposes (only 3 IDAs are present in Italy). The DBVPG Collection maintains more than 7000 yeast and yeast-like cultures (representing a large percentage of the known species).

The UPCC (University of Parma Culture Collection) preserves microorganisms mainly from the Department of Food and Drug (ALIFAR). Currently, the collection is characterized by more than 6000 bacterial strains, mainly lactic acid bacteria isolated from foods and food environments. Different levels of characterization are available and an excel database is continuously updated. The catalog is directly accessible for internal use and indirectly for academic community, research institutes and companies. Moreover, UPCC offers expertise in terms of isolation, identification, and phenotypic and genotypic characterization of microorganisms.

The microbial culture collection of the University of Verona (VUCC-DBT) was established recently by merging the microorganisms from the research collections of the Laboratories of Environmental Microbiology and Agro-Food Microbiology of the Department of Biotechnology. VUCC-DBT comprises about 400 strains of yeasts/bacteria and possess expertise in different areas such as bioremediation, rhizobacteria with plant-growth promotion properties, biotransformation of metals/metalloids and biosynthesis of metal nanostructures, biosurfactants and polyhydroxyalkanoates production, the genome-based taxonomy and safety assessment of food-related bacteria, analysis of microbiomes of food and health interest, and selection criteria of yeasts/bacteria involved in agro-food processes. At the moment, besides characterization, valorization and maintenance of its own microbial resources, no external services are provided.