BRC - Health Fiocruz

Health-BRC

Biological Resource Center for Health and the Brazilian BRC Network
Based on the experience with its microbiological collections, Fiocruz had dedicated e  orts to build the Biological Resource Center in Health (CRB-Health), which will consist of collections of pathogenic microorganisms, related mainly to tropical diseases or those with biotechnological potential in the health fi eld, including bacteria, fungi, protozoans, and viruses, diverse microbiological materials with added value (e.g., taxonomic diversity and/ or biotechnological and/or epidemiological potential), and quality associated information.
Fiocruz Health-BRC will offer strategic inputs and services with internationally recognized efficiency and quality standards to the scientific community, industry and the Unified Health System (SUS), in order to provide sustainability for biotechnological innovations in the health sector, allowing technological development and production of biological compounds for diagnosis, vaccines and medicines, in addition to ensuring the preservation of the country's microbial diversity.
Fiocruz Health-BRC will be part of the Brazilian Network of BRC (BRC-Br Network), which is being structured within the scope of the Ministry of Science, Technology, Innovation, and Communication, being financed by the National Fund for Scientific and Technological Development (FNDCT). The project is coordinated by Fiocruz with the participation of Embrapa, Unicamp, Rio de Janeiro Cell Bank, Inmetro, INPI, CRIA, SBM. Its objective is to consolidate the infrastructure of the BRC-Br Network, aiming to meet the demands for authenticated and certified biological material and specialized services, in order to promote technological innovation in the country.

Biological Resource Centers (CRBs)

Biological Resource Centers (CRBs), designed in accordance with the high standards of quality and expertise required by the international community of scientists, offer access to the biological resources necessary for advances in life sciences and biotechnology and are capable of operating as service collections that offer certified biological material for research and development (R&D) purposes, meeting national and international safety and traceability requirements.
In the national proposal, in line with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Best Practice Guidelines for Biological Resource Centers, the BRCs have among their functions to:
• preserve and provide biological resources (with guaranteed quality) for R&D and applications in the scientific, industrial, agribusiness, environment and health sectors;
• develop R&D with these biological resources;
• conserve biodiversity;
• act as repositories of biological reference material;
• provide services for depositing biological material, including for the protection of intellectual property.