Welcome to the Canadian Phycological Culture Centre (CPCC), formerly known as the University of Toronto Culture Collection of Algae and Cyanobacteria (UTCC). Founded in 1987, the CPCC provides research quality cultures, culture medium, and other related services to educational institutions, government and commercial laboratories worldwide.
Announcements:
Happy Holidays 2024!
- The CPCC will be closed from Saturday, December 21 to Wednesday, January 1, inclusive.
- The deadline for us to receive orders to be shipped before the holidays is Wednesday, December 4, assuming that the orders are for small volumes of quick-growing algae. Larger volumes and/or slower-growing algae will be shipped as soon as possible in January 2025.
- Our last day for shipping Canadian orders this year is Tuesday, December 10. If your facility is open until Friday, December 20, an exception may be granted, in which case, your order may be shipped on Monday, December 16 or Tuesday, December 17.
- Our last day for shipping U.S. orders this year is Tuesday, December 10. If your facility is open until Friday, December 20, an exception may be granted for some U.S. customers, in which case, your order may be shipped on Monday, December 16.
- Our last day for shipping all other International orders this year is Monday, December 9. If your facility is open until Monday, December 23, an exception may be granted for some European customers, in which case, your order may be shipped on Monday, December 16.
- An attempt will be made to process orders received by Monday, December 16 prior to facility closure so that they are ready to be shipped as soon as possible in January 2025.
- The first shipping date in 2025 is Monday, January 6.
Housed at the University of Waterloo in the Department of Biology, the CPCC is internationally recognized as a major service collection of living freshwater algal, cyanobacterial and Lemna spp. (duckweed) cultures. Strains are often used for environmental research and biotechnology applications including:
- a potential source of biofuels and natural novel products
- carbon sequestration
- bioremediation
- bio-control and toxic effects of cyanobacteria
- toxin detection methods
- algal bloom studies
- ecotoxicity testing
- physiology and molecular basis of metal toxicity and tolerance in algae
- the impact of ultra-violet radiation on algae
- taxonomic identification of algae by DNA barcoding
- taste and odour problems in drinking water
- aesthetic landscaping (i.e., algae gardens)
Support the collection
The CPCC is a nonprofit facility providing critical infrastructure and services to maintain a collection of important aquatic species. Donations are eligible for a tax receipt and directly support the diversity and health of the collection. Your support of our centre is truly appreciated.
Last updated: February, 2024.
Logo designed by Daniel Hsia; photos provided courtesy of Judy Acreman, Daniel Hsia, and Mary Olaveson. Images are subject to copyright; please do not copy or reproduce them without permission.
News
Price Increase Notification - February 2024
Fee increases for some CPCC services take effect on February 2, 2024 for all new orders. Please see our new list of fees. Thank you for your understanding and continued support.