Strain Request

How to Request a Strain

Begin by browsing the Strain Catalog to identify strains of interest. Once you’ve chosen a strain, submit an Order Request Form by email. This form captures your details, the strain ID, intended use and an agreement to comply with the strain’s licensing terms. You will also be prompted to accept the standard Licensing Agreement which covers general terms for strain usage. Upon submission, our team will review your request.

For a visual overview of the ordering process, please refer to the Ordering Process Flowchart. In brief, the steps are:

• Submit Order Request: Fill out and send the form for the desired strain(s) by email.
• Application Review: The repository team checks your request for eligibility (for example, ensuring the end-user has facilities corresponding to the strain’s biosafety level and agrees to licensing terms). We may reach out if additional info is needed.
• Signing Licensing Agreement: Before proceeding, the applicant must sign a formal Licensing Agreement that outlines the terms of strain usage, intellectual property, redistribution restrictions, and compliance requirements. This agreement must be signed by an authorized signatory and returned to BRIC SRC.
• Approval & Invoice: Once approved, you will receive an order confirmation along with any applicable charges or fees. Payment can be made via bank transfer or Demand Draft.
• Material Transfer & Shipping: After payment and final paperwork, BRIC SRC will package the strain in the appropriate format and ship it to you. You will receive a tracking number and an estimated delivery date.
• Receipt & Compliance: Upon receiving the strain, you need to inform that the strain arrived in good condition. At this point, you must also adhere to any containment and use guidelines.

Biosafety & Handling: Users are responsible for safe handling of the strain once received. This means you must have the necessary laboratory facilities and trained personnel corresponding to the strain’s Biosafety Level. All strains come with documentation on handling requirements. By ordering, you agree to follow all biosafety protocols and any applicable statutory guidelines.

Delivery Timeline: We aim to dispatch approved orders as quickly as possible. We will keep you updated on the shipment status.

User Obligations: By using a strain from the repository, you agree to certain obligations:

• Authorized Use Only: Strains must be used only for the purposes and not for any unlawful or unapproved activities. Commercial use may require a separate license agreement or royalty as specified.
• No Redistribution: Do not redistribute or transfer the strain to third parties.
• Acknowledgment: If results from using the strain are published or lead to a product, please acknowledge the BRIC SRC Production Strains Repository (and cite the strain’s Accession Number) as a resource, and acknowledge the original depositor if required.
• Compliance: Abide by all terms in the Licensing Agreement, including any IP-related restrictions

Reporting & Feedback: 

• We encourage users to share their success stories or any issues
•  If you develop an improved derivative of a repository strain (for instance, you modify it further for better performance), please let us know. Depending on the original licensing terms, you might be expected to deposit the new strain back to the repository. This helps keep the innovation cycle going and benefits the community.

For purchasing strains from the Public Repository, users are requested to directly contact the repository via email for detailed purchase procedures and terms.

By ordering strains from BRIC SRC, you join a network of innovators advancing India’s biotech frontier. We strive to make the process startup-friendly and efficient. If you have suggestions to improve the user experience, we welcome your feedback.