A device and method for preserving organisms (e.g. causative organisms in a case of osteomyelitis) in a biopsy sample during transport or storage in a manner which obviates or mitigates deleterious effects of lengthy periods of transport or storage on the success rate of determining the identity of the organism and subsequent testing. The device includes a reservoir which contains a transport medium, an outlet for releasable connection with a biopsy sample housing (e.g. a syringe with a luer connector element) containing a biopsy sample, and a closure member to seal the outlet before use. The transport medium can be delivered from the reservoir to the syringe, when the two are connected, and the reservoir-syringe unit can be transported as a sealed unit.
