Cell Bank/Stem Cell Bank is a nonprofit biological resource center, which includes two divisions named as cell bank and stem cell bank. It is affiliated to Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (SIBCB), a nation-renowned biomedical research institution with worldwide reputation. Our mission focuses on collection, authentication, production, preservation, development and distribution of standard reference cell lines in the life sciences.

Recognizing a need for a central collection of cell lines that would serve scientists and institutes, the Chinese Academy of Sciences established the Cell Bank as a safe haven for cell lines in Shanghai in 1991. In 2000, the Bank became a member of World Federation for Culture Collections (WFCC). The Stem Cell Bank was set up and funded by Ministry of Science and Technology of China in early 2007. It has been developed to supply well characterized stocks of embryonic, fetal and adult stem cell lines that researchers can rely on to facilitate high quality and standardized research. As research in the biosciences expanded, the two Banks were combined to be an integrated repository of cell resources as part of China Center for Type Culture Collection (CCTCC) in 2014. Today, the Bank is home to nearly 500 cell lines from multiple animal species of origin.

The repository portion of the facility contains -80oC freezers, liquid nitrogen tanks to store over 35,000 stocks of cells. In our cell culture rooms, all the instruments have fulfilled 3Q validation (IQ: installation qualification; OQ: operation qualification; PQ: performance qualification). The design meets the standard of class 10,000 clean room which has less than 10,000 particles (under 0.5 μm) per cubic meter.

As one of the largest organization that acquires, produces, preserves, develops, and distributes cell lines in China, the Bank provides over 10,000 stocks of cells and numerous technical services yearly. The community of users of our products and services includes researchers in universities, institutes and hospitals for academic purposes.

The Bank holds a collection of nearly 500 human and animal cell lines, most of which are different types of cancer cells. Besides, we deposit embryonic, adult and induced pluripotent stem cells that were established by Chinese scientists. Today, the Bank is more than a repository for cell lines, as we provide a number of technical services including standardized culture media, quality control testing, cytogenetic services, teratoma formation, derivation of mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs), stem cell characterization, genetic manipulation of ES cells, training courses, etc.

Aside from its role as a resource for biodiversity of cell lines, the Bank conducts independent research in support of its mission. Staff scientists involved in cooperative researches on both collection-oriented and grant-supported projects, including improved approaches of cell banking and cryopreservation, derivation and characterization of new stem cell lines, in vitro cell differentiation. In these areas, the Bank has developed active research partnerships academic groups, and published articles on top journals such as Cell Stem Cell, Hepatology, Cell Res, J Cell Sci, J Biol Chem, etc.

Address: 320 Yueyang Road, Xuihui District, Shanghai 200031, P. R. China Tel: 86+21-54920405/54921358; Fax: +86-21-54920406/54921358 E-mail: [email protected] (stem cells); [email protected] (cancer cells) Website: www.cellbank.org.cn