Convenors: Oliver Ryder and Sonja Luz
Aim:
To progress the design of a workshop on biobanking, to be hosted by Taipei Zoo in 2020.
Background:
The preservation of living cell lines, gametes, and embryos as well as alcohol-fixed or frozen tissue cryobanking, can provide a valuable resource for wildlife conservation, assisted reproduction, evolutionary biology, and wildlife medicine. Examples of current applications include: artificial insemination using cryopreserved sperm from irreplaceable and long-dead individuals; development of a bank of reference barcode samples for the identification of illegal specimens associated with illegal wildlife trade; whole genome sequencing projects; and studies into the potential for emerging stem cell technologies to rescue species from the brink of extinction. Led by San Diego Global and Wildlife Reserves Singapore, a group of organisations are coming together to realise the following vision for the future:
An international network of cryobanks under the umbrella of a Global Wildlife Biobank that is dedicated to sharing resources and expertise and growing a worldwide legacy of irreplaceable reproductive and genetic material that can be used in support of species conservation.
In April 2020, Taipei Zoo will host a CPSG-facilitated workshop to kick-start a potential South-East Asian arm of this Global Wildlife Biobank network.
The aim of this working group is to bring together those who have been involved in discussions to date with other members of the CPSG community with an interest in this topic, to review draft workshop goals and intended outputs, to review and further develop a draft workshop program and to identify other opportunities for moving this project forward (e.g. WCC).
Process:
The workshop will be 3 hours long and will proceed as follows:
- Presentation of concept and progress so far (Ollie Ryder and Sonja Luz)
- Q & A to support those not previously part of discussions
- Summary of previously identified challenges to establishing a South-East Asian arm of this Global Wildlife Biobank network and an opportunity to add to these.
- Summary of priority themes/solutions identified to date and discussion of these
- With these challenges and priority themes/solutions displayed:
- DRAFT a list of priority presentations and presenters for the workshop (to ensure that participants are brought up-to-speed with key issues)
- DRAFT a list of potential working group topics and check likely allocation of potential participants
- Review workshop participants list in light of the above and adjust as needed
- Discuss factors likely to increase the success of this initiative
- If time, discuss other supporting initiatives (e.g. WCC Motion)
Outcomes:
- A revised agenda for the 2020 workshop
- A revised participants list
- Suggestions for biobanking-related revisions to the WCC Ex situ Motion text
Materials:
None