20 February 2019 (Wednesday) – Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with WFCC-MIRCEN World Data Centre for Microorganisms (WDCM) yesterday to collaborate on microbiological research as well as to help FRIM Microbial Culture Collection (FRIM-MCC) be more visible among the scientific community in Malaysia as well as globally.

Abd Latif (far left) discussing with Ma (middle) and Liu (far right).	From left: Nor Azah, Abd Latif, Liu and Ma during the MOU documents exchange.

WDCM, the data centre for World Federation for Culture Collections (WFCC) and Microbial Resources Centers Network (MIRCEN), is a microbial resource data coordination center for over 700 microbial culture collections from over 70 countries.

Director General (DG) Dato’ Dr Abd Latif Mohmod signed the MOU on behalf of FRIM while WDCM was represented by its Director, Dr Juncai Ma at the Licuala Meeting Room. Also present were FRIM Deputy DG (Operations) Dr Khali Aziz Hamzah, FRIM Natural Products Director Dr Nor Azah Mohamad Ali and FRIM-MCC Laboratory Head Dr Getha Krishnasamy.

Besides exchanging experts, this collaboration also provides training assistance as well as knowledge enhancement in the conservation and management of microbial resources of international standards and in accordance with the Nagoya Protocol. The MOU is instrumental for the establishment of a long working cooperation with WDCM to publish FRIM microbial resources data on Global Catalogue of Microorganisms (GCM) for dissemination of information and technology.

In addition to the MOU, a Letter of Intent (LOI) was also signed between FRIM DG and Prof. Dr Shuang-Jiang Liu, DG of Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IMCAS). The LOI is to express mutual intentions with respect to the collaboration in a Joint Programme on sustainable use of microbial resources through related research activities.

IMCAS, the largest microbiological research institution in China, owns the largest fungal herbarium in Asia and the largest microbiological culture collection in the country.

Group photo of FRIM and WDCM representatives after the signing ceremony.	Getha (middle) briefing the guests on FRIM’s microbial collection.

FRIM-MCC holds over 10,000 isolated bacteria from forest resources for research and reference. It also provides training in isolation, preservation and quality checks of microorganisms as well as technical service in bacterial identification.