Investigations of marine, freshwater, and terrestrial biota in Antarctica have revealed discoveries of extraordinary scientific value regarding adaptations to an extreme environment. Climate change and the introduction of invasive species threaten Antarctic biodiversity and it is imperative that biologists continue to have access to Antarctic organisms for their research. Across the world, museum and university collections of Antarctic organisms, including tissue samples, DNA extracts, and derivative data represent an extensive and invaluable resource which is largely underutilized by the research community. 

A major outcome of this project involved the organization and execution of a three-day virtual workshop held in February, 2022. Antarctic biologists from the U.S., as well as museum curators and collection managers, convened to identify and define the potential value in, and capacities for, an Antarctic biological repository in order to expand the scope and inclusivity of Antarctic science and accelerate scientific progress. 

A pre-workshop survey assessed the status of Antarctic biological collections in the U.S., as well as attitudes regarding the needs and potential benefits of developing an Antarctic biorepository. Eighty-seven responses representing 56 institutions were received. Survey results indicated that (a) Principal Investigators (PIs) hold extensive Antarctic specimen collections, largely collected as a result of funding by the National Science Foundation (NSF); (b) PIs have limited resources and knowledge of how to curate specimens and provide access to the samples; (c) institutional collections, although widely available are not frequently accessed; (d) PIs desire access to institutional specimens but require guidance to do so; and (e) PIs have a high interest in depositing specimens into a biorepository but they lack the time, knowledge, and/or financial resources to accomplish this. 

Workshop participants agreed that an effective and efficient structure for an Antarctic biorepository network would be a virtual hub to enhance accessibility of existing collections of specimens, including frozen samples from Antarctica. Increasing visibility of samples across the US, and opportunities to acquire biological materials from Antarctica can expand diversity, equity, and inclusivity in Antarctic science. Furthermore, conducting fieldwork in Antarctica often requires extended time away from home in a remote setting, which for some scientists is not always feasible or practical. Training in specimen collection and management, and linking PIs with appropriate collection manager(s) and curator(s) will enhance specimen management, deposition, and value.  

In the weeks following the workshop, a working group completed a series of recommendations for the NSF. In addition, an opinion piece summarizing the justification for, and value in a virtual biorepository for Antarctic specimens was written and published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (http://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2212800119). Finally, frozen tissue samples of Antarctic notothenioid fishes collected by Elizabeth Crockett and team members were moved from ultracold freezers at Ohio University to the Ocean Genome Legary at Northeastern University. These legacy samples are currently being catalogued and will be made available to other research groups. 􏰒􏰓􏰓􏰔􏰕􏰖􏰗􏰗􏰘􏰊􏰙􏰌􏰊􏰚􏰛􏰗􏰍􏰇􏰌􏰍􏰇􏰜􏰝􏰗􏰔􏰞􏰟􏰕􏰌􏰆􏰆􏰍􏰆􏰑􏰇􏰇􏰍􏰍􏰎

Last Modified: 09/02/2023
Modified by: Elizabeth L Crockett