9512746 Brand This award renews support of a project aimed at development of improved methods for cryopreservation of single-celled algae, and use of these methods for the freezing of strains now found in the UTEX collection of freshwater algae. The collection includes a variety of algae, both prokaryotic and eukaryotic. The use of cryopreservation allows more confidence that the unique genetic characteristics of organisms are being preserved than does the use of serial transfer, the most common method for maintenance of stocks of the kinds of algae found in the UTEX collection. In addition, the development and use of such methods should lessen the time and expense required for routine storage of such strains by collections and by individual investigators who work with these organisms. ***
