Account Setup
Upon purchasing your membership and opening your account, you will receive a form to fill out with your business or research information. Business and research institutions must provide valid credentials. If you would like to apply for an exception, please send us an email with "Exception" in the subject line and explain a little about your project and yourself.
Welcome to Our Culture Bank
The ultimate solution for researchers and businesses looking to safeguard their valuable fungal strains. The Culture Bank offers secure, long-term storage solutions for fungal cultures, tailored to business and research institutions. Account holders can deposit, withdraw, and store cultures with ease, while also gaining access to a curated selection of rare and exotic strains available exclusively to members. Our focus is on tetrapolar basidiomycete gourmet and medicinal fungi, widely used in the industry. We also work with certain ascomycetes. However, we do not engage with any pathogenic or biologically hazardous strains.
The Culture Bank will maintain a strict privacy and non-sharing policy, ensuring that your cultures will never be sold or shared without your explicit written permission. Cultures are only ever moved to or from storage at the client’s request for deposit, withdrawal, or other services related to their cultures. However, members have the option to deposit a culture in the bank for resale, granting the bank the right to sell that culture. In such cases, the legacy of the original collector or breeder will be honored through royalties. Each time the culture is sold by the bank, a portion of the proceeds will go directly to the original collector or breeder.
Another benefit of allowing the Culture Bank to resell your strain is that you will receive a free deposit for that strain, enabling you to store it in the bank without any associated fees. This ensures that your strain is securely stored and available for future access while you benefit from the bank’s resale and royalty structure.
Our culture bank ensures the utmost safety and preservation of your cultures by storing multiple copies backed up across multiple locations. Redundancy is key to safeguarding your valuable cultures. We utilize the latest industry standards in cryopreservation and other advanced storage methods, employing cutting edge techniques and equipment to ensure long term viability and security. Our processes guarantee that your cultures are always available, as long as your annual fee is maintained.
Account Holder Requirements
Our Culture Bank is primarily designed for businesses and research institutions to ensure the secure storage and preservation of fungal cultures. However, we understand the unique needs of individual researchers. While accounts are generally limited to organizations, we are open to making exceptions for individuals on a case-by-case basis. If you believe your work qualifies, please reach out to discuss potential accommodations.
Free Deposits for Purchased Cultures
Clients who purchase cultures directly from the Culture Bank can receive one free deposit and one free withdrawal of those cultures at the time of purchase into their account at no additional cost, providing an added benefit for members. This means that with every purchase, you can freely store and also get 1 free withdrawal of that culture without any additional fees, just pay for shipping. This ensures that your purchased cultures can be securely stored and easily accessed at your convenience.
Exclusive Culture Bank Menu
Account holders gain access to our premier, members only Culture Bank menu, which features some of the most rare and exotic fungal cultures available and includes different levels of characterization in many cultures. These strains are unavailable elsewhere and are not accessible to non-members, making membership an unparalleled opportunity to acquire and preserve unique and valuable cultures.
Membership Benefits:
- Choose between 1-year or 2-year terms.
- Each membership includes free deposits and withdrawals:
- 1-year term: 5 deposits and 5 withdrawals.
- 2-year term: 10 deposits and 10 withdrawals per year, 20 in total.
- Convenient free withdrawal and deposit options, with additional withdrawals or deposits at $20 each, plus shipping.
- Exclusive access to the premier Culture Bank menu containing rare and exotic strains unavailable to non-members.
Discounted Services for Members:
- Monokaryon Verification: 50% off
- Species Barcoding (ITS): 50% off
- Hybrid Confirmation:
- Interspecific: 30% off
- Intraspecific: 30% off
Exclusive Characterization Services available to members only:
- RAPD Fingerprinting
- Growth Rate Measurement
- Gene Region Barcoding (besides ITS)
- HPLC analysis and consult
- Whole Genome (Basic) and consult
Storage methods
1 year account storage - slant with redundant backup
2 year account storage - slant with redundant backup at secondary location
5 year account storage - cryopreservation in glycerol at -80c with redundant backup at secondary location
for more than 5 years of storage or for shorter than 5 year cryopreservation please contact us.
Culture Bank Terms of Service
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Eligibility:
Accounts are primarily for businesses and research institutions, with individual accounts approved on a case-by-case basis
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Account Creation:
To establish an account, users must complete the registration process and agree to all outlined terms. Account holders gain access to a curated selection of rare and exotic strains that are not available to non-members as well as storage with the bank.
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Ownership of Cultures:
All cultures and subsequent cultures derived from the Culture Bank remain the property of Imperial Labs. Unauthorized resale or redistribution of cultures is strictly prohibited unless conducted under a formal Commercial Culture Leasing Agreement.
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Membership Fees & Culture Storage:
- An annual membership fee is required to maintain an account, which includes a specified number of deposits and withdrawals.
- All cultures must be clean and viable upon deposit, consisting of two petri dishes. The Culture Bank reserves the right to discard or return any unsuitable or contaminated cultures at the sender’s expense, retaining the deposit fee for processing.
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Withdrawals and Deposits:
- Members are entitled to a specified number of free deposits and withdrawals based on their membership tier.
- Additional deposits and withdrawals are subject to fees. Each withdrawal consists of a single slant and incurs shipping costs. Petri dishes of the Culture available for extra fee.
- All cultures must be clean and viable upon deposit, consisting of two petri dishes
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Commercial Distribution:
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Commercial resale or redistribution of cultures is strictly prohibited unless executed under a formal agreement with the Culture Bank.
- Any violation of this policy will result in immediate termination of the account, with all cultures and materials becoming the property of the Culture Bank to be utilized at its discretion. No refunds will be issued, and legal consequences may arise.
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Service Discounts:
Account holders enjoy discounted rates on premium services, including monokaryon verification, hybrid confirmation, and species barcoding.
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Liability:
While we use industry-standard practices for culture storage, we are not liable for the potential loss of cultures due to unforeseen circumstances
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Termination of Service:
- Violations of the Terms of Service may result in the closure of your account and the disposal of stored cultures without refund.
- All stored materials will become the property of the Culture Bank, and there may be legal repercussions for fraudulent activities or policy breaches.
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Modifications to Terms:
The Culture Bank reserves the right to modify these terms at any time. Users will be promptly notified of significant changes.
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Governing Law:
These terms shall be governed by the laws applicable in the jurisdiction in which the Culture Bank operates.
All strains are provided as a single slant. Clade I strains are cultivated on PDA, while Clade II strains are grown on MEA. For an additional fee, strains can also be provided as liquid cultures or in petri dish format.
• Verification: Almost all strains in the bank are confirmed through ITS or sequencing, microscopy, location data, and macromorphology, ensuring authenticity.
• Ambiguity Disclosure: For strains with any level of ambiguity, you will be notified about which strains in your order have ambiguity before the order is finalized.
• Images and iNaturalist Numbers: We are in the process of adding pictures and iNaturalist (iNat) numbers for better strain documentation.
• Additional Strains: Some hybrids, monokaryons, and taxa are currently in cryostorage and are not included in the list. If you're seeking specific strains or taxa not listed, feel free to ask we may have what you're looking for! We can remove strains from cryo preservation by request for additional fees.
• Continuous Updates: The strain list reflects what is currently available. We are continuously adding new strains and finalizing the monokaryon and interspecific hybrid lists, which will be released within the month.
Lead Time
To ensure we provide the best culture possible and avoid mishandling or rushing, please allow 4–6 weeks to receive your cultures. While most orders ship in less than 2 weeks, this time frame ensures we have ample time to carefully verify and prepare each culture to meet the highest standards of quality.
Important Note: During this process, we kindly ask that you refrain from contacting customer service for order status updates. Doing so creates unnecessary work and burdens our team with questions already addressed in this policy. Rest assured, you will be notified promptly when your order is ready to ship.
Communication Policy
All communication regarding orders must be conducted directly through the Culture Bank’s official channels. This ensures organization, professionalism, and timely responses.
Messaging employees or owners on social media platforms is not an appropriate or acceptable channel of communication. Such messages may not be addressed and can lead to delays or confusion.
Culture Bank Account Eligibility Policy
To maintain the integrity of our culture bank and ensure compliance with our operational standards, we offer two distinct account types:
• Researcher Accounts – Reserved for individuals conducting non-commercial, academic, or personal research. These accounts are not permitted to engage in the resale of cultures or strains obtained from the culture bank.
• Commercial Accounts – Designed for businesses, vendors, and individuals with active commercial interests in mycology. These accounts operate under formal agreements and may include the resale of strains, provided such activities comply with our policies and agreements.
Account Eligibility Requirements
• Applicants for Researcher Accounts must not have any active commercial interests, such as owning, operating, or being employed by a mycological business or vending operation. This includes running online shops, selling cultures or spores, or engaging in commercial activities within the past three years.
• Individuals with past or current business affiliations must apply for a Commercial Account regardless of whether their application pertains to personal or research activities.
Policy on Dual Roles
We do not allow dual roles within the culture bank. Applicants cannot maintain both a Researcher Account and a Commercial Account, as the roles of researcher and vendor are inherently interconnected for those engaged in business activities.
Application Review Process
• All applications are subject to review, including verification of public and online profiles.
• Applicants found to be misrepresenting their business affiliations or activities may have their applications denied or accounts suspended.
Account Transition Policy
• If your professional circumstances change (e.g., you transition from researcher to vendor), you must notify us and apply for a Commercial Account.
• Failure to disclose changes in professional status may result in account termination.
Consequences of Account Termination
Violations of the Culture Bank’s policies or terms of service will result in serious consequences, including but not limited to:
• Immediate Account Termination
Your account will be permanently closed without refund of any fees paid, including annual storage fees, deposit fees, or other charges.
• Destruction of Stored Cultures
Any cultures you have stored with the Culture Bank will be destroyed or otherwise handled as deemed appropriate by Imperial Labs Culture Bank, without the possibility of recovery.
• Lifetime Ban
You will receive a lifetime ban from accessing or using any services provided by the Culture Bank. Additionally, individuals or entities directly associated with your operations, including but not limited to business partners, employees, or collaborators, will also be banned from the Culture Bank indefinitely.
• Legal Consequences
Certain strains and cultures within the Culture Bank are proprietary biotechnological developments and are legally protected. Any unauthorized use, distribution, or resale of these strains may result in legal action, including civil lawsuits for damages and potential criminal prosecution.
• Notification of Other Entities
Imperial Labs Culture Bank reserves the right to notify industry peers, collaborators, and relevant organizations of policy violations and account termination to ensure transparency and protect the integrity of the mycological community.
• Future Collaboration Restrictions
Any terminated account holder will be permanently disqualified from participating in future initiatives, collaborations, or projects involving Imperial Labs or its affiliates.
Culture Bank Policy on Culture Distribution and Traceability
As a member of our culture bank, you agree to abide by the following policy regarding the use and distribution of cultures stored with us:
• Non-Distribution Agreement:
Cultures stored within the culture bank are for the exclusive use of the account holder. Redistribution, sharing, or selling of cultures obtained from the culture bank is strictly prohibited. Any violation of this policy is considered grounds for immediate account termination. All culture transactions will require filling out an Material Transfer Agreement (MTA).
• Traceability and Molecular Markers:
All cultures stored in the culture bank are fingerprinted and identifiable through molecular markers. This advanced identification system ensures traceability of the chain of custody for every culture.
• Enforcement:
In the event that a culture is found to have been redistributed, our molecular fingerprinting technology allows us to determine its origin and verify if it was obtained from the culture bank. Unauthorized distribution will result in the termination of the account and possible further action.
This policy is designed to protect the integrity of the culture bank, the intellectual property of our account holders, and the exclusive access to high-quality, clean cultures. By storing cultures with us, you acknowledge and agree to these terms.
Final Decision Authority
Imperial Labs Culture Bank reserves the sole right to determine the appropriate consequences for violations of its policies, including the disposal or handling of stored materials.
Avoiding Termination
To avoid termination and its consequences, all account holders must adhere to the following:
• Submit truthful and accurate information during the application process.
• Comply with the terms of service, including restrictions on resale and proper use of strains.
• Notify the Culture Bank immediately of any changes in professional status or affiliations.
For any inquiries or updates, to place an order, or to explore specific strains not listed, please contact us at
support@imperialscientific.com
Thank you for choosing the Culture Bank to support your fungal research and cultivation pursuits!
