The Hawaii Culture Collection (HCC) is a depository of selected photosynthetic microorganisms having unusual properties and producing valuable products. Cultures originate from tropical and subtropical marine environments (including the Hawaiian islands), inland saline habitats, and other sites of scientific importance. The HCC also serves as the depository of other valuable microbial culture collections. One of these is the collection of hydrogen-producing cyanobacterial and purple nonsulfur photosynthetic strains amassed by the late Dr. Akira Mitsui at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science (Miami, Florida). The HCC also recently acquired selected cultures from the Biofuels Microalgae Collection assembled by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colorado. These organisms belong to a variety of algal groups and are the result of a massive collection and screening effort designed to select for organisms with potential for mass cultivation and lipid production.

The primary purpose of the HCC is to preserve valuable strains and distribute them to the scientific and industrial community for research and further advancement of knowledge. Cultures are also available to industry for commercial purposes.

Formerly, the HCC was known as the International Marine Biotechnology Culture Collection. It is maintained by the Marine Bioproducts Engineering Center (MarBEC) at the University of Hawaii.

Go to MarBEC