(Braunschweig, 17th March 2020): In accordance with the institute’s own pandemic plan, the Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures GmbH has convened a committee of experts, which coordinates daily on the current situation and takes appropriate measures. By doing so, the committee takes into account the advice and risk assessments of government agencies, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) and the World Health Organization (WHO) and coordinates with other institutions on the Science Campus Braunschweig-Süd.
As a research and infrastructure facility of the Leibniz Association, the Leibniz Institute DSMZ provides its cooperation partners and customers with the following information:
• Collection and research activities
The collection and research departments of the DSMZ have taken organisational measures to ensure that laboratory and scientific work can be carried out even if the danger continues.
• Information on the supply chain for biological material:
As of today, our ability to deliver is assured. Please note that the Leibniz Institute DSMZ has no influence on the decisions of our transport service provider FedEx.
• Services (e.g. analysis and diagnostics):
The service tasks of the DSMZ are carried out in our own laboratories and without restrictions.
• Visits of customers and suppliers at our institute:
These can only take place to a limited extent and also only after a previous positive risk assessment. Please contact us in case of a requested visit.
Press contact:
Sven-David Müller, Head of Public Relations, Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures GmbH
Phone: ++49 (0)531/2616-300
Mail: Sven.David.Mueller@dsmz.de
About the Leibniz Institute DSMZ
The Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures is the world’s most diverse collection of biological resources (bacteria, archaea, protists, yeasts, fun-gi, bacteriophages, plant viruses, genomic bacterial DNA as well as human and animal cell lines). Microorganisms and cell cultures are collected, investigated and archived at the DSMZ. As an institution of the Leibniz Association, the DSMZ with its extensive scientific services and biological resources has been a global partner for research, science and industry since 1969. The DSMZ is the first registered collection in Europe (Regulation (EU) No. 511/2014) and certified according to the quality standard ISO 9001:2015. As a patent depository, it offers the only possibility in Germany to deposit biological material in accordance with the requirements of the Budapest Treaty. In addition to scientific services, research is the second pillar of the DSMZ. The institute, located on the Science Campus Braunschweig-Süd, accommodates more than 73,000 cultures and biomaterials and has 198 employees. www.dsmz.de
The Leibniz Association
The Leibniz Association connects 96 independent research institutions that range in focus from the natural, engineering and environmental sciences via economics, spatial and social sciences to the humanities. Leibniz Institutes address issues of social, economic and ecological relevance. They conduct knowledge-driven and applied basic research, maintain scientific infrastructure and provide research-based services. The Leibniz Association identifies focus areas for knowledge transfer to policy-makers, academia, business and the public. Leibniz institutions collaborate intensively with universities – in the form of “Leibniz ScienceCampi” (thematic partnerships between university and non-university research institutes), for example – as well as with industry and other partners at home and abroad. They are subject to an independent evaluation procedure that is unparalleled in its transparency. Due to the importance of the institutions for the country as a whole, they are funded jointly by the Federation and the Länder, employing some 19,100 individuals, including 9,900 researchers. The entire budget of all the institutes is approximately 1.9 billion Euros. www.leibniz-gemeinschaft.de