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National Park Service Deposit

Gray fog and steam rising from the Halema'uma'u Crater within the K?lauea Caldera in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

Contribute to a vital culture collection

Make your samples available to other scientists

National Park Deposit Request

National Park Service Deposit provides home for precious specimens

National Park Service logoScientists who've collected any of the unusual microbial species found in US national parks can request that ATCC deposit the material into the National Park Service Special Collection to satisfy publication requirements and to make the biomaterial available for other researchers to study. Acceptance into the collection is contingent upon a vetting process by ATCC.

Biomaterials that are selected for deposit will be distributed to scientists as part of ATCC's mission to support future advancements in science. The samples collected from national parks have increased value because of their unique characteristics and varied applications in biomedical and industrial research. Depositing with ATCC ensures that materials will benefit the life science community as a whole.

A plume of smoke rising from layers of slate-like liquid at Great Fountain Geyser in Yellowstone National Park at sunset.

National Park Service Special Collection

Microorganisms found in our national parks are amazing specimens for scientific study. We provide access to these diverse microbes—made up of bacterial, fungal, and protozoan species—through the National Park Service Special Collection.

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