First Successful Certification Audit of a Biological Resource Center

Berlin (January 19, 2004) - The Berlin-based RZPD Deutsches Ressourcenzentrum für Genomforschung GmbH (German Resource Center for Genome Research), which is the largest provider of clone-based products and services for functional genome research, has recently become the only biological resource center worldwide that has received certification of compliance with the ISO 9001:2000 standard. Following a three-day audit, globally operating DQS Deutsche Gesellschaft zur Zertifizierung von Managementsystemen GmbH attested RZPD's quality management system full compliance with the quality standards of this international set of norms.

RZPD's quality management system was set up since spring 2001. Starting in summer 2002 and with counseling from the company Innexum the system was consequently adapted to ISO 9001:2000. Prime focus during the audit has been put on the departments production, sales, aftersales as well as the management in Berlin. Following the successful audit RZPD is now certified as: "developer, producer and marketer of products and services for functional genome research as well as integration platform for genome data". 

"In a company all employees share the responsibility for quality. The quality management system implemented at RZPD is fully documented and successfully applied," commented Dr. Rudolf Gallien, auditor at DQS responsible for RZPD, who has long-year.s experience in the pharmaceutical and diagnostic divisions of Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Basel. "Our current quality management system is our preferred instrument for an efficient company management. This way we can make sure, that ever-changing customer requirements in such a dynamic research area are reliably and permanently monitored and fulfilled. Certification has become even more important since the RZPD increasingly supplies customers in applied clinical research and medicine. This continual commitment to quality offers our future customers the highest possible degree of safety and permanently high quality of our services," adds Martin Stock, Administrative Managing Director of the RZPD in Berlin.

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About the RZPD:
RZPD - German Resource Center for Genome Research (Deutsches Ressourcenzentrum für Genomforschung) - is a non-for-profit service centre for genomics and proteomics research. Based on one of the largest clone collections worldwide, it provides high quality research material, high throughput technology and automation solutions for academic institutions as well as for industry. Material and services that are available from RZPD include clones of genomic and cDNA libraries, high density colony, DNA, and protein arrays, genomic and cDNA pools, non-redundant cDNA collections, pre-defined and custom microarrays, custom screening, expression profiling, Affymetrix service, robotic services, large scale PCR amplification, and cDNA library generation. Data produced with its material are integrated in RZPD's Primary Database and linked to additional data from public databases. That way, for the benefit of the researchers a multitude of data is linked to the clone material available at RZPD and multiplication of work is avoided. No intellectual property (IP) is claimed by RZPD for results derived from the use of its material. If in single cases IP is claimed by the originator of clone material provided to and distributed by RZPD, this is clearly stated and conditions are passed on by RZPD to the user. 

Further information on the RZPD are available at www.rzpd.de  or directly on the press pages http://www.rzpd.de/about/press/ 


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Contact:
RZPD - Deutsches Ressourcenzentrum für Genomforschung GmbH
Dr. Johannes Maurer - Scientific Managing Director
Heubnerweg 6
D-14059 Berlin, Germany
Tel.: +49-30-32639-251
Fax: +49-30-32639-262
eMail: j.maurer@rzpd.de 

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