Collection de l’Institut Pasteur (CIP)
CIP FAQ
Deposit
Q. I sent my new strain to CIP along with the deposit form and the publication. How long will it take to get the deposit certificate I need for publication?
A. The CIP must carry out the necessary phenotypic and molecular controls for assignment of a CIP number and emission of the deposit certificate. As soon as the controls are performed, and the identification is confirmed, the deposit certificate is sent. This process usually takes between 4 and 8 weeks.
Q. How can I send the bacterial strain?
A. You can send freeze-dried, frozen culture or as test tube culture in the appropriate medium and adequately labelled. We appreciate receiving in advance any specific cultivation condition that your strain might depend on. The material you send should be packed in a triple containment packaging system.
Q. What happens if the country I isolated my strain is signatory of the Nagoya Protocol?
A. To meet the requirements of the Nagoya Protocol, it’s compulsory to provide with:
- The country and the exact location within the country where the genetic resource was collected (GPS coordinates) where the genetic resource was collected (not where it was isolated)
- The date of collection (sampling)
- The name of the person who collected
- The name of the national competent authority that granted access to the genetic resource as well as the documentation showing Prior Informed Consent (PIC) and Mutually Agreed Terms (MAT).
Q. If the country I isolated my strain is the one of my own citizenship or nationality and the same where my laboratory is located, do I still have to do the paperwork related to the Nagoya Protocol?
A. Yes, it is mandatory.
Q. Can I deposit a patented strain at the CIP?
A. No, the CIP is not an International Depository Authority. Please refer to the CNCM for patented strains.
Ordering
Q. How can I find if a strain is available at the CIP?
A. Please refer to our online catalogue.
Q. What does the “T” at the end of the CIP number mean?
A. It means type strain
Q. Who can order a strain from CIP?
A. Strains can only be supplied to public or private establishments which have a bacteriology laboratory.
Q. How can I order a strain from CIP?
A. For ordering a strain, please provide us with an official Purchase Order, with a purchase order number from your University, printed on your establishment letterhead paper stating both delivery address (the laboratory end user) and the invoice address, the CIP reference number along with the strain denomination to the following e-mail address: cip@pasteur.fr.
Q. What is the price of the strains at the CIP?
A. For a quote, please contact CIP (cip@pasteur.fr) with name of your company and the strain reference.
Q. How long is the process from ordering to delivery?
A. It depends on the time to complete administration papers, firstly, the location of the delivery place both being related and could lead to / we can’t announce deadlines as it depends on different factors.
Q. In which form will the microorganism ordered be sent: freeze-dried or as actively growing culture?
A. We usually inform you before preparing the order. The CIP uses accredited packaging for the transport of infectious material according to current legislation. When it is frozen transport fees is higher because of the package.
Q. I have received the strain, how can I store it before its use?
A. If you received a freeze-dried culture, the vial should be stored at +4°C in the dark until use. For a frozen culture, keep the strain upon reception at room temperature for defrosting for a while, then immediately plated. It can be placed in a freezer, preferably at -80°C until its use. Finally, if you ordered an active culture, we suggest to immediately plate the strain upon reception under appropriate culture conditions (temperature, media and atmosphere). A document on the conditions of conservation and culture of bacterial strains is attached to any order: here.
Q. Where can I find the cultivation conditions from a strain ordered from CIP?
A. Cultivation conditions are usually sent along with the purchased strain. However, you can also find the condition online in our online catalogue by typing the CIP number and opening the “fiche catalogue” and/or “milieu” of the strain you are looking for.
Q. I have a problem with the strain, what is the complaint procedure?
A. The CIP will consider all complaints received within one month for freeze-dried cultures and 48 hours for frozen strains, from the date of reception. In case of complaint, the client should keep all documents bound to the delivery and, if possible, the packaging, to help the CIP to deal with the complaint.