Useful links

The GBIF world

The Global Biodiversity Information Facility - GBIF

• About GBIF
• How to join the GBIF Network
• Informatics Infrastructure

BioCASe

• BioCASe Provider Software
• Access to Biological Collection Data (ABCD)

Specimen data mangement

List of known powerful open source software solutions. Please don't hesitate to contact us, if you know further open source software.

• Diversity Workbench
• BRAHMS (Botanical Research and Herbarium Management System
• DaRWIN (Data Research Warehous Information Network
• Specimen Tool (as part of the DNA Module)
• Specify

DNA banks worldwide

List of known non-human DNA banks worldwide. Please don't hesitate to contact us, if you want to add your DNA bank to that list.

Botany

• Plant DNA Bank in Korea (PDBK): This site contains genomic DNA list, tissue list, and their voucher information (label, specimen, and photo) wich holded in PDBK and Korea University Herbarium (KUS) both located in the Graduate School of Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul, Korea.
• Royal Botanic Gardens Kew DNA Bank: The RBG Kew DNA Bank contains over 36,000 samples of plant genomic DNA, all stored at -80°C. DNA is extracted from particular taxa of interest that are then databased with information on names, collectors, localities etc. Each sample is vouchered (made into a herbarium specimen).
• The New York Botanical Garden DNA Bank: The DNA Bank of The New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) serves is the repository for samples of frozen tissue and genomic DNA that are the foundation for research conducted in our molecular systematics and genomics laboratories. In support of the NYBG's mission to document biodiversity, the aim of the DNA Bank is to house samples in plant and fungal groups studied by Garden scientists, as well as other taxa from the diverse geographic regions in which NYBG staff works.

The DNA bank of the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) has joined the DNA Bank Network on February 23th 2011 as its first international partner.

• The Australian Plant DNA Bank: The Australian Plant DNA Bank is a comprehensive collection of DNA from both Australian native and important crop plant species. It also contains transgenic organisms developed through research.
• | DNA Banking at the Missouri Botanical Garden: Garden botanists have begun collecting small samples of plant material, usually young leaves, in plastic, zip-lock bags with silica gel as a dessicant. Voucher specimens for these samples are deposited at the Missouri Botanical Garden and at least one institution in the country from which they originated. Upon arrival at the Garden, a specimen label is prepared for each sample and they are stored in a cabinet in a walk-in freezer maintained at 0° F (-20° C).
• DNA Bank Brazilian Flora Species: The Bank aims to preserve representative genetic information of the high diversity presented by Brazilian flora, being groundwork for plant conservation and biotechnology. The DNA Bank will be another Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden scientific collection that can be used in research by current and future generations.
• DNA Bank at Kirstenbosch: The Leslie Hill Molecular Systematics Laboratory at Kirstenbosch, in collaboration with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, have received funding from the UK Darwin Initiative to establish a "DNA bank" that will house genetic material of South African plants.
• NIAS DNA Bank: Currently, the DNA Bank is maintaining DNA materials and information that has been accumulated as part of the genome projects of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries such as the Rice Genome Research Program (RGP) and the Animal Genome Research Program (AGP). The biological materials available for distribution include cDNA clones, RFLP markers, PAC/BAC clones and YAC filters.
• DNA bank at the Nationaal Herbarium Nederland: The Taskforce Molecular Systematics, Phylogeny & Biogeography organized a DNA bank comprising samples of angiosperms, algae and fungi, that are currently under revision at the Nationaal Herbarium Nederland for (inter)national systematic treatments such as Flora Malesiana, Flora Neotropica, Flora of the Guianas, Flora of the Netherlands, Dutch benthic freshwater Algae and Flora Agaricina Neerlandica.

In the near future the DNA Bank will be available as part of Brahms ONLINE with convenient search and order functions. The updated DNA Bank database is meanwhile available as downloadable Excel-files.

• Trinity College DNA bank: The TCD DNA Bank was established in the Department of Botany, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland in 1998 and linked with the Department's Herbarium, Botanic Garden and Seed Bank to become part of an integrated system for biodiversity evaluation. It contains almost 3000 accessions of DNA from a wide range of higher plant families (summary of collection as of August 2001).

Microbiology

• Riken Bioresource Center DNA Bank: The Gene Engineering Division (RIKEN DNA Bank) is a unique, not-for-profit resource center dedicated to the isolation, collection, preservation and distribution of genetic resources, such as cloned DNA and gene libraries (cDNA and genome libraries) from human and other mammalian cells and from microorganisms (vectors and hosts). The RIKEN DNA Bank undertakes research to ensure the authenticity of the materials in the collection and to improve and standardize the methods of characterization, maintenance, preservation and distribution of genetic resources.

Zoology

• San Francisco Zoo DNA Bank: The Zoo maintains a bank with hair, feather or other tissue samples from many of our species. These samples can be used to extract DNA for many types of studies.
• The Frozen Ark: The mission of the Frozen Ark Project is to collect, preserve and store DNA and viable cells from animals in danger of extinction. The Project will focus on the thousands of animals that are expected to disappear within the next few decades. Samples will be taken from captive breeding programmes, zoos and wild populations.
• The Ambrose Monell Cryo Collection, New York: The Ambrose Monell Collection for Molecular and Microbial Research is the American Museum of Natural History's newest research collection. Launched in May 2001, the Monell Collection will house approximately one million frozen tissue samples representing the DNA of a wide range of species. Potentially the largest and most comprehensive initiative of its kind, the Museum's frozen tissue collection will support a broad range of research, and allow scientists, today and in the future, to take full advantage of advances in genomic technology.
• The Animal Gene Storage Resource Centre of Australia: To guarantee the survival of endangered species and to complement breeding programs in the wild or captivity (zoos), the AGSRCA has established a living frozen zoo. The living frozen zoo preserves reproductive cells, (semen, embryos, ovaries et cetera) and genetic material in a frozen state, at -196°C in liquid nitrogen. Here in the Gene Bank, we have rhinos, elephants, Hairy-nosed wombats, bilbies and 100 other species.
• Conservation Genome Resource Bank for Korean Wildlife: The genome resource samples to be collected are tissues, blood, DNA, somatic and germ cells, and semen from mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles including endangered species of Korea. CGRB collects genetic samples with the help from field wildlife researchers, wildlife rescue NGOs and veterinarians, zoos, animal hospitals, and wildlife-related government organizations.
• Frozen Zoo®: The Frozen Zoo® at San Diego Zoo Conservation Research is a unique resource playing a crucial role in current conservation efforts and will be an indispensable tool for the future. Consisting of DNA, frozen, viable cell cultures, semen, embryos, oocytes and ova, blood, and tissue specimens, it includes samples from more than 8,400 individuals, representing more than 800 species/subspecies.
• Austrian DNA Bank for Farm Animal Genetic Resources: Target of the project is the plant of a DNA-bank in analogy to the existing gene bank of all, however predominantly rare, preservation-worthy farm animal races, which was already partly realized by the Institute for Biological Agriculture and Bio Diversity of farm animals in Thalheim.
• National Plant, Fungi and Animal DNA Bank, Poland: National Plant, Fungi and Animal DNA Bank in Poland is a new initiative of five Polish scientific institutions using DNA barcoding for researching as well as for many practical purposes. DNA Bank stores biological material as a source of DNA samples for the future research projects. The DNA Bank aims to enlarge our knowledge about species of plants, fungi and animals using the up-to-date standards and techniques.