The Virtual Institute of Microbial Stress and Survival (VIMSS), was based at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and led by the former Earth Sciences Division. It supported an integrated and multi-institutional program to understand the ability of bacteria and other microorganisms to respond to and survive external stresses.
VIMSS was established in 2002 with funding from the U.S. Department of Energy Genomics: GTL Program for Rapid Deduction of Stress Response Pathways in Metal/Radionuclide Reducing Bacteria.