General Information
The ARLG Laboratory Center supports the ARLG scientific agenda by leading the assessment, development, and implementation of laboratory-based ARLG studies, and addressing the laboratory needs of non-laboratory-based ARLG studies, by providing expertise, coordinating laboratory services, and supervision of ARLG-affiliated laboratories. The laboratory center is comprised of a Director, Associate Director, and a consortium team, alongside an operational support team. The ARLG Laboratory Center manages the ARLG Biorepository and resource sharing for future research.
Those interested in connecting with the ARLG Laboratory Center can complete the interest survey linked here or email ARLG-Lab-Center-Operations@dm.duke.edu.
The ARLG provides a wide variety of resources to industry (whether pharmaceutical, diagnostic, or other companies), including guidance from ARLG experts, delivery of well-characterized bacterial isolates, execution of the MASTERMIND protocol, and support for clinical trials and new research projects.
If you would like to solicit industry collaboration from the ARLG, please complete the interest survey linked here. Once your preliminary information is received, you will be contacted within two business days and directed with further information on how to initiate a collaboration.
The ARLG Laboratory Center consortium team members may be able to provide guidance for protocol design or diagnostic development and testing. In addition, the ARLG Laboratory Center includes the ARLG Biorepository, which is a resource for bacterial isolates from published manuscripts. Isolates from the ARLG Biorepository can be made available to requestors for use in the development of diagnostic tests, novel antimicrobial compounds, and studies evaluating mechanisms of resistance.
ARLG's Biorepository provides investigators with unique access to gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria from clinical specimens for the development of diagnostic tests, novel antimicrobial compounds, and for studies evaluating mechanisms of resistance.
To learn more about the biorepository and how to review available strains, please visit the ARLG Biorepository page.
The ARLG Biorepository Catalogue is a web based system that provides investigators with a searchable view of available strains. For help with using the catalogue website, please refer to this Quick Reference Guide.
Note: The search feature is limited to finding isolates based upon the types of tests done on them. To sort strains for particular result characteristics, use the Advanced Search to download up to 1000 strains to Excel, then use the filter options to find strains of interest (e.g., strains that are resistant to colistin).
Yes. The list is generated by performing a quick (or advanced) search within the ARLG Biorepository Catalogue by clicking on the search button. The resulting strain list can then be printed or downloaded from the browser window.
Available strain information includes strain demographics plus genotypic and phenotypic data as reported in the cited publication(s) for a strain. Links to the PubMed references are provided on the catalogue page.
Depending on the publication, certain strains may be co-listed as part of a collection (e.g., ARLG-C56). Collections are designated with ARLG-C# within the ARLG Biorepository Catalogue, and are typically found as the last records following a strain search. ARLG Laboratory Center staff can provide assistance with the selection of individual strains from a collection.
The ARLG strain panels are comprised of strains that can be used for research, development of diagnostic platforms, and/or drug testing. In addition, strains from studies are listed as panels.
Queries can be submitted by emailing ARLG-Lab-Center-Operations@dm.duke.edu.
These strains are housed in the contributing investigators' laboratories as part of their collection or in the ARLG Laboratory Center Biorepository.
No. Verification of the published data associated to the Biorepository strains is left to the discretion of the providing laboratories. The ARLG Biorepository Catalogue reports only strain data from published studies.
Strain Request Procedures
Yes, the catalogue is open to the public for browsing here. Requests for strains will be honored only after approval by one of the ARLG Directors and/or the ARLG Executive Committee and verification that the receiving laboratory and investigator have Biosafety Level 2 (BSL2) capability to receive strains.
You can use the Biorepository Catalogue to browse and generate a strain Wish List. The Wish List can be exported to a pdf or spreadsheet that you can save to your computer, or you may enter an email address to have the list emailed to you. If you submit a request for isolates, you may want to attach the Wish List. Details on how to export a list of strains can be found in this Quick Reference Guide.
Yes. They should follow the procedures as described in the previous questions and using this Quick Reference Guide. However, we are not exporting Escherichia coli or Staphylococcus aureus. Investigators outside the US should verify with their institution(s) any restrictions on importing those strains from the US. Documentation may be requested as part of processing your request.
Yes, please e‐mail your request to arlg-laboratory-center@mc.duke.edu. They will work with you to select strain(s) best suitable for your study.
A total of 80 strains may be requested per year. Requests for a larger number of isolates may be honored after review and approval by the ARLG Laboratory Center Director.
Strain Order & Shipping Details
Yes, but requesting investigators will be responsible for shipping costs. Recipients will need to provide shipping information to the Laboratory Center staff.
Yes, the ARLG Laboratory Center staff will contact you to assist you with the process.
Upon execution of the MTA (and receipt of your shipping information), the ARLG Laboratory Center staff will prepare an ARLG Biorepository culture (labeled with the assigned the ARLG Biorepository Identifier: ARLG‐ID) to be shipped to the requesting laboratory. Biorepository strains are shipped at an ambient temperature on slants or frozen on dry ice via overnight shipment.
Publication Policies
Investigators are required to include the strain ARLG-ID assigned by the ARLG (e.g., ARLG‐1001) in any publication or presentation of studies involving an ARLG strain. Please refer to the ARLG Publication Policy available via this link.