The first biomaterial bank of all living organisms on the Earth will be created by the Moscow State University, according to MSU president, Viktor Sadovnichy.

      At the first stage, the project has received 1 billion roubles ($18,799,000) from the Russian Scientific Fund. The depository for the biomaterials storage is expected to be built on the University's territory, in the "Vorobyevy Gory" valley.

      "We have received the biggest scientific grant in Russia's modern history. I personally call this project "Noah's Ark". We plan to build a special depository - a "data bank" with the information about all life forms on the Earth, including vanished and vanishing species. We've set a task to do such thing," Sadovnichy said.

      "The new depository will be equipped for storing various cellular species, which will keep the ability to reproduce. There will be special information systems as well," he added.

      The project's research team also plans to create a system for coordination with other data banks in Russia and other countries.

      "If the project is successfully incarnated, it will become a great leap forward for Russia's science and history," Sadovnichy said. He also pointed out the fact that there are no such biomaterial banks anywhere in the world currently.

      According to the Moscow State University's press service, the future bank's materials will be based on the University's existing collections - from the Anthropology Museum, Herbarium, Zoological Museum, Botanical gardens. The project realization will combine efforts of many University's subdivisions and young scientists.