ATCC Unveils ‘Incredible 2020’ Initiative

Reinforcing its long-established reputation for quality and reliability as the steward for credible biomaterial and standards in the biological sciences, ATCC today announced details of its new initiative, Incredible 2020. Building on ATCC’s non-profit mission, this Incredible 2020 initiative, which was unveiled at the Society for Neuroscience (SfN) 2018 annual conference in San Diego, CA, seeks to raise the bar for the development and application of biomaterials, bioinformation and standards in biological research through the introduction of five core pledges.

The campaign will be supported by a multimedia initiative --‘Credible Leads to Incredible’-- comprising targeted messaging, video assets centered around a dedicated hub showcasing ATCC’s five pledges and providing access to special content, opportunities, products, and services related to the campaign.

As noted by Dr. Raymond Cypess, CEO and President of ATCC, “Scientists are continually harnessing technological advances and pursuing the incredible, but may be challenged by a lack of credible materials, standards, and protocols that thwart their efforts. This initiative is providing solutions to these challenges.”

Incredible 2020’s five core pledges comprise:

Pledge 1: Advancing Authentication – ATCC is committed to enabling better reproducibility in laboratory studies by implementing advanced technologies in laboratory standards development and manufacturing, including cell line authentication, next generation sequencing projects, and functionality testing for cells and microbes.

Pledge 2: Elevating Biological Models - ATCC is focused on providing researchers with credible, cutting-edge models to develop better ways to study and treat diseases and better processes to solve challenges.

Pledge 3: Evolving Education - ATCC is dedicated to accelerating biological research and advancing global health by using a variety of methods to facilitate communication and ideas among scientists.

Pledge 4: Cultivating Collaboration - Collaboration is essential for accelerating innovative research that leads to groundbreaking discoveries and results. To unite and elevate the scientific conversation, ATCC is encouraging researchers in the wider scientific ecosystem to share knowledge that might not necessarily be possible through conventional communications.

Pledge 5: Supporting Global Health - ATCC will continue and build upon our prominent role within the global scientific community to mobilize and support discoveries that can combat emergent world health issues such as Zika and benefit humanity.

Dr. Cypess further commented, “In the last decade alone, it’s become clear that even the best scientists face formidable odds for achieving success. The specter of irreproducibility damages the credibility of science and lengthens the time to positive results; this ultimately hurts society. A society can ill afford to lose its trust in science and its practitioners. That’s why ATCC is pledging to partner with the scientific community to address some of the biggest challenges limiting progress in biological research. We are expanding our already robust and diverse repository of authenticated biomaterials, providing advanced models that match the specificity of customer needs, as well as partnering with a network of like-minded scientists to ensure the continued success of the scientific enterprise."

ATCC is a premier global biological materials and information resource and standards organization and the leading developer and supplier of authenticated cell lines, microorganisms, and associated data for academia, industry, and government. With a history of scientific contributions spanning nearly a century, ATCC offers an unmatched combination of being the world’s largest and most diverse collection of biological reference materials and data, and is a mission-driven, trusted partner that supports and encourages scientific collaboration. ATCC products, services, partnerships, and people provide the global scientific community with credible, advanced, model systems to support complex research and innovations in basic science, drug discovery, translational medicine, and public health. ATCC is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with headquarters in Manassas, Virginia, and a research and technology center of excellence in Gaithersburg, Maryland. 

Contact: Kim Testa, senior director, Corporate Communications & Public Affairs, ATCC, [email protected]