Pro-Lab Direct · Microbank Cryopreservation Beads

Microbank validation packet — 3 peer-reviewed JCM publications + 10-year viability data

Below is the independent validation summary your CAP inspector will expect. Microbank is the only commercial cryopreservation bead system with three peer-reviewed publications in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology, plus 10-year longitudinal viability data and validated −20°C storage performance. Two attached PDFs provide the full data set.

Three peer-reviewed JCM publications

StudyKey result
PMID 18701656 — University of South Florida / Florida Dept. of Health (J Clin Microbiol)MRSA methicillin resistance maintained throughout 2-year storage. No phenotypic drift.
N. gonorrhoeae 24-month study (J Clin Microbiol)98.6% recovery rate — 2,400 successful retrievals across 100 GC isolates, all antigenic types preserved.
Manchester Metropolitan University — −20°C studyAll 41 NCTC/NCPF reference strains viable from a single bead at 24 months stored at −20°C. Competitor systems are validated only at −70°C.

Reference laboratory deployments

  • University of Liverpool: 65,000 isolates archived at −70°C since 2000, still routinely resuscitated.
  • Nottingham University Hospitals: 3,500 clinical isolates spanning 94 genera.
  • UK Anaerobe Reference Unit: ~20,000 isolates, 10-year longitudinal viability sampling at years 5, 7, and 10 — no decline in recovery.
  • 24 German laboratories via Bestbion DX network.

Why this matters for your CAP file

CAP and CLIA require documented validation that QC organisms remain viable and characteristically stable. When an inspector asks for the documented evidence behind your storage method, manufacturer claims aren’t equivalent to peer-reviewed data. Microbank is the only commercial bead system with three independent publications. Print the abstracts and place them in your QC organism file.

Specifications

  • SKU: PL.170/A — standard format (white cap)
  • 80 vials per box, ~25 cultures per vial
  • Validated at both −20°C and −70°C
  • ISO 13485 manufactured
  • Pair with PL.155-1 Cryoblock to keep vials cold at the bench during bead retrieval

Two PDFs are attached: the full Manchester Met −20°C study and the Microbank Worldwide Publications portfolio (collected reprints). Reply to this email if you want a custom validation summary for a specific organism class.

View this document online: https://www.pro-lab-direct.com/microbank/deliverables/validation-packet.html

Attached: microbank-20c-studies.pdf, microbank-wwp-portfolio.pdf, IFU-PL170C-Rev2023-04.pdf

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