The Department of Physiology and Systematics of Microfungi of the D.K. Zabolotny Institute of Microbiology and Virology has existed for almost 70 years. During almost the whole of this period, its sphere of interests has been extremely wide, and has included fungal taxonomy, the ecology and geography of populations, studies in radio-ecology and plant pathology, synthesis of secondary metabolites, and microfungal use of substrata which are not easily transformed. As a result of this research a fungal collection of about 8000 strains has been established, belonging to 350 species in 85 anamorphic genera. These strains have been isolated from soils, and from various plants used for food, decoration and other commercial products, including the following plant organs: bean, berry, flower, fruit, grain, wood. They have been collected from different geographical zones of Ukraine and elsewhere, and from extreme environmental conditions (soils of the zone 10-30 km from the Chernobyl reactor, metals, composts, high temperatures etc.). Such a varied set of fungal cultures can be used in fundamental and applied biological research programmes. These include taxonomic investigations, population analysis, protein production, waste processing, standards for plant disease diagnosis, and production of inoculum to aid selection of resistant grades of agricultural plants. For many years producers of biologically active metabolites have been screened using the collection, and strains capable of forming a range of enzymes, amino acids, vitamins, antibiotics, plant growth stimulators and other substances have been selected.