60s
The beginning of the Spanish Type Culture Collection (CECT) goes back to 1960, when J.R. Villanueva, Professor of Microbiology, began to collect and keep microbial strains in his laboratory. These first strains were offered to Spanish microbiologists for their research activities. For 8 years the CECT was located at the Madrid Institutes -Jaime Ferrán of Microbiology and Cellular Biology- of the Spanish Research Council (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, CSIC).

70s
The CECT was first moved in 1968 to the University of Salamanca and in 1974 to the University of País Vasco in Bilbao, with Prof. Federico Uruburu as its new Director, while Prof. Maria Dolores García was in charge of maintaining strains.

During this time there were two important achievements; the publication of the first edition of the Catalogue of Strains in 1976, which included a total of 436 strains of bacteria, filamentous fungi and yeasts; and the registration in 1977 of CECT in the World Federation on Culture Collections (WFCC) with the number WDCM412 of the World Directory of Culture Collections (WDCM).

80s
In 1980 the CECT landed in Burjassot (Valencia) as a result of Prof. F. Uruburu’s move to Valencia University, in order to take up the Chair of Microbiology at the School of Biology.
In 1991 the CECT was recognized as a service of the University of Valencia.

90s
In 1992, the CECT obtained the status as International Depositary Authority (IDA) for storing microorganisms for patent purposes in accordance with the Budapest Treaty. The CECT is therefore the only international authority for the deposit of bacteria, filamentous fungi and yeasts for purposes of patent existing in Spain.

21st century

From late 2003 to late 2012 the CECT was headed by Esperanza Garay, Professor of Microbiology. During this period we must highlight the certification of the CECT for the ISO 9001 standard and the moving to the new facilities at the Scientific Park of the University of Valencia. Thanks to the efforts and contacts made by E. Garay during her management the CECT is part since November 2012 of the preparatory phase of MIRRI.
Since late 2012 the director of the CECT is the Professor of Microbiology Rosa Aznar.