GGBN Conference 2025/Program
Contents
- 1 Program
- 2 Day 1 – 29 September 2025
- 3 Day 2 – 30 September 2025
- 4 Session 2.1 Lightning Talks for Participating Biobanks
- 5 Session 2.2 Biodiversity Rich Regions of the World
- 6 Session 2.3 Botanical Biobanking
- 7 Session 2.4 Special Session: Publication
- 8 Session 2.5 Poster Seesion
- 9 Day 2 – 18.10.2023
- 10 Session III – Cell Banking and Culture Collections
- 11 Session IV – Biobanking in megadiverse countries and the Southern Hemisphere
- 12 Workshop I: Policies for Molecular Collections, GGBN data standard, and workflows for publishing data
- 13 Day 3 – 19.10.2023
- 14 Session V- The Nagoya Protocol in Practice: Does it Affect My Field Work and Associated Research?
- 15 More Conference Information
Program
Download GGBN 2025 Program and Abstract Book
Most of the presentations are now available through the GGBN Document Library as open access docs, some are available in the library only. Links are provided below. Presentations with restricted access can be located on the Document Library under the Category “GGBN Conferences,” Subcategory “GGBN 2025 Conference". Please contact library@ggbn.org to request a library account.
Day 1 – 29 September 2025
| (times to be confirmed) | Excursion to Boulders Beach | |
| 18:00 - 29:00 | GGBN Ice Breaker |
Day 2 – 30 September 2025
| 08:00 - 08:45 | Registration opens | |
| 08:45 - 09:00 | Welcome by SANBI Management | |
| 09:00 - 09:30 | Keynote Address: The Global Biodiversity Framework as a Context for Sustainable Biodiversity Biobanks in South Africa - Prof. Michelle Hamer | |
| 09:30 - 11:00 | Session 2.1 Lightning Talks for Participating BiobanksChairs - Katie Barker and Jonas AstrinThis session provides participants the opportunity to share information on theirbiobanks / molecular collections, including facilities and infrastructure,interoperability, address issues related to long-term sustainability, address challenges around sample and data quality. Use cases can be presented, or experiences shared about biobank planning, repository relocation, etc. For this conference, African biobanks are particularly encouraged to introduce themselves, but of course any biobank is welcome. | |
| Biobanking for Biodiversity: Processes, Access, and Applications - Francinah Keneilwe Mosupye | ||
| Coral Hospitals as Biobanking Centers: Insights from the NMMBA Model as a Strategic Response to Global Warming and Climate Change - Chiahsin Lin | ||
| ARC-Vegetable, Industrial and Medicinal Plant in Vitro and Seed Genebank Collections: Safeguarding Crop Diversity - Lindiwe Mokgakane | ||
| Safeguarding citrus diversity - Elize Jooste | ||
| Building plant repositories for biodiversity research and conservation. A case of Tooro Botanical Gardens, Uganda - Mutegeki Alislam Said Musa | ||
| A review of biobanking activities for plant biodiversity in Rwanda - Pascal Sibomana | ||
| Preserving Aquatic Biodiversity: The Role of the NRF-SAIAB Biobank in Addressing Conservation and Research Gaps - Seshnee Pillay | ||
| Improving Sample Management at the NHM Biobank - Heather Avrili | ||
| Beyond the biobank laboratory, showcasing game capture operation to acquire biological samples - Nkotasi Mnisi | ||
| Biobank for biodiversity: The SANParks Veterinary Wildlife Biobank - Zinhle Manda | ||
| Genomic Infrastructure for Chile: Design and Establishment of a Biobank through the 1000 Chilean Genomes Project - Juliana Vianna De Abreu | ||
| 11:00 - 11:30 | Tea Break | |
| 11:30 - 13:00 | Session 2.2 Biodiversity Rich Regions of the WorldChair - Puseletso JohnstonThis session will explore the complex challenges and ethical dilemmas associated with biobanking in biodiversity-rich regions, with a particular focus on Africa. As one of the most biologically diverse continents, Africa holds vast genetic resources that are vital for scientific research, conservation, and innovation in healthcare and agriculture. However, biobanking in these regions is fraught with challenges, including regulatory gaps, resource constraints, and issues surrounding access, benefit-sharing, and indigenous knowledge protection. | |
| Hidden Biodiversity: Zoos and Aquariums as Gateways to Conservation Science - Anna Mekarska | ||
| Biobanking in Mexico: Current Status & Perspectives - Gilberto Ocampo | ||
| 1KSA - Decoding South Africa’s Biodiversity - Shane Murray | ||
| Inventory and sorting of the microbial collections in the Biobank of the Institut Pasteur de Côte d'Ivoire - Kouame Ambroise Kintossou | ||
| South African Rhizobium Culture Collection a Biobank for Future Food Biosecurity - Francina Bopape | ||
| Saving South Africa’s Seeds: Natures Time Capsules, Preserved for Future Generations - Victoria Wilman | ||
| 13:00 - 13:45 | Lunch Break - Lunch Talk: Avantor - Sandra Krause | |
| 13:45 - 15:15 | Session 2.3 Botanical BiobankingChair - Anurag DhyaniAs global biodiversity faces increasing threats, preserving plant genetic resources has become a critical priority. This session will focus on the essential methods for conserving plant diversity through seed banking, plant DNA and tissue banking, pollen and spore banking, cryopreservation, and the management of living collections. Experts will discuss the latest advancements in these areas, highlighting the importance of proper collection, storage, and management techniques to ensure the long-term viability of plant species. The session will also explore emerging technologies, strategies for sustainability, and the ethical considerations in plant conservation efforts. | |
| Plant & lichen biobanking in central Mexico - Gilberto Ocampo | ||
| Collection of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants of the State University of Campinas – Brazil - Ilio Montanari | ||
| Characterizing Brassica biobanks and pre-breeding in B. juncea for climate resilient oilseed sustainability in India - Mahesh Rao' | ||
| Harnessing Indian Mustard B. juncea Diversity using Integrative Omics Approach to Decipher White Rust Disease Resistance - Ashish Kumar Gupta | ||
| Optimizing Plant Biobank Sustainability: Technical and Funding Strategies at the Nottingham Arabidopsis Stock Centre - Marcos Castellanos-Uribe | ||
| 15:15 - 15:30 | Tea Break | |
| 15:30 - 17:30 | Session 2.4 Special Session: PublicationChair - Jonas AstrinIn this mini-session featuring a single talk we will hear, by the editor-inchief, about the Biopreservation and Biobanking (BIO) journal, about its scope and possible article types. While being the official ISBER journal, BIO is open to all kinds of publications with a biobanking and sample preservation context and is a suitable publication medium for manuscripts related to GGBN topics. Opportunities to publish content presented at the current meeting will be specifically highlighted. | |
| Why Publish in Biopreservation and Biobanking? - Marianna Bledsoe | ||
Session 2.5 Poster SeesionChair - Katie BarkerThe poster session offers delegates an opportunity to engage with the breadth of research and innovation represented at the Joint Biobanks Conference. All accepted posters will be on display, showcasing work across every thematic track. Attendees are encouraged to review the posters at their own pace, interact directly with authors, and exchange ideas that spark future partnerships. This informal, highly interactive session is designed to highlight diverse perspectives, celebrate achievements, and foster networking across the biobanking community. | ||
| GGBN General Assembly Meeting | ||
Day 2 – 18.10.2023
Session III – Cell Banking and Culture CollectionsChairs - Oliver Ryder, Jonas Astrin and Jackie Mackenzie-Dodds | ||
| 09:00 - 09:13 | The UK Crop Microbiome Cryobank – Advancing Microbiome Research for Sustainable - Agriculture - Rodrigo Taketani, Rothamsted Research | PDF VIDEO |
| 09:13 - 09:26 | Strategy for the Biobanking of Potato Genetic Resources at the IPK Genebank - Manuela Nagel, Leibniz-Institut (IPK) | VIDEO |
| 09:26 - 09:39 | South African National Collection of Fungi: An established resource on the continent - Riana Jacobs-Venter, National Collection of Fungi | PDF VIDEO |
| 09:39 - 09:52 | The World Federation of Culture Collections and the Global Genome Biodiversity Network: Sharing the Same Mission for Sustainable Futures - Ipek Kurtböke, World Federation of Culture Collections | VIDEO |
| 09:52 - 10:05 | Establishing model lineage systems to study inter-species advanced reproductive approaches - Francisco Pelegri, University of Wisconsin, Madison | |
| 10:05 - 10:18 | Important Considerations for Biobanking for Genetic Rescue of Endangered Species - Ben Novak, Revive and Restore | PDF VIDEO |
| 10:18 - 10:33 | Morning Coffee break | |
| 10:33 - 10:46 | Introducing Nature’s SAFE: a European Biobank for Conservation - Tullis Matson, Nature's Safe | |
| 10:46 - 10:59 | Reproductive biotechnologies and Genetic Resource Banks Applied to Wildlife Conservation in Argentina - Adrián Sestelo, Gerencia Operativa de Conservación y Gestión de Fauna | |
| 10:59 - 11:12 | Projects at LIB Biobank Enabling Cell Banking and Protocol Collection - Jonas Astrin, Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change | |
| 11:12 - 11:25 | PCRYOZOO Biobank of Animal Cell Lines - Tomàs Marquès and Cira Martínez, Institut de Biologia Evolutiva | |
| 11:25 - 11:38 | Organoids for Biobanking and Cellular Agriculture - Julie Strand, Aarhus University | |
| 11:38 - 11:51 | Living algal collection of Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” (ACUS)- Important Ex-Situ Biodiversity Conservation Facility, which Maintains High-quality Algal Strains - Need for Biobanking of Algae in Bulgaria – a Country on the Balkan Peninsula with Extra Rich Biodiversity - Maya Stoyneva and Kristian Ivanov, Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” | PDF PDF |
| 11:51 - 12:04 | Biobank of Megadiverse Fauna of Brazil - Maria José de Jesus Silva, Laboratório de Ecologia e Evolução | |
| 11:51 - 12:04 | Lunch break | |
Session IV – Biobanking in megadiverse countries and the Southern HemisphereChairs - Kim Labuschagne | ||
| 13:30 - 13:45 | Pangolins: Cultural Use, Illegal Trade and the Scientific Importance of Biobanking Specimens in South Africa - Ray Jansen, Zoological Society of London | PDF VIDEO |
| 13:45 - 14:00 | Biobanking in a Megadiverse Country: a Brief review of Brazilian Current Initiatives - Paulo Holanda, Bioquallis Consulting, Curitiba, Paraná | PDF VIDEO |
| 14:00 - 14:15 | Biodiversity Biobanks South Africa: A Distributed Network of Repositories for South Africa's Rich Biodiversity - Mudzuli Mavhunga, Biodiversity Biobanks South Africa | VIDEO |
| 14:15 - 14:30 | The importance of the Humboldt Institute Tissue Collection for Biodiversity Research and Conservation in a Megadiverse Country - Gustavo Bravo, Instituto Alexander von Humboldt | VIDEO |
| 14:30 - 14:45 | Infrastructure and Management of a Large-scale Genome Bank in a Megadiverse Developing Country. A Case Study in Ecuador - Diego Paucar, Museo de Zoología | PDF VIDEO |
| 14:45 - 15:00 | Using Biodiversity Biobanking to Enhance Plant Conservation in the Megadiverse Country South Africa - Ross Stewart, African Centre for DNA Barcoding | VIDEO |
| 15:00 - 15:30 | Afternoon Coffee break | |
Workshop I: Policies for Molecular Collections, GGBN data standard, and workflows for publishing dataChair - Astrid de Mestier | ||
| 15:30 - 15:45 | Management of Genetic Resources in Natural History Collections using Specify Collection Management Software - Andrew Bentley, University of Kansas | PDF VIDEO |
| 15:45 - 16:00 | Symbiota-based Services for Publishing Genomic Collections Data - Nico Franz, Arizona State University | PDF VIDEO |
| 16:00 - 16:15 | Policies for Molecular Collections - Astrid de Mestier, Botanical Garden and Botanical Museum | PDF VIDEO |
| 16:15 - 16:30 | GGBN Data Standard, and Workflows for Publishing data - Jörg Holetschek, Botanischer Garten Berlin | VIDEO |
Day 3 – 19.10.2023
Session V- The Nagoya Protocol in Practice: Does it Affect My Field Work and Associated Research?Chair - Gilberto Ocampo | ||
| 09:00 - 09:15 | Welcome / Interactive introduction to the Nagoya Protocol - Gilberto Ocampo and Melania Muñoz García, Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes and Leibniz Institute DSMZ | VIDEO |
| 09:15 - 09:30 | Why is the Nagoya Protocol important for GGBN Collections and Biobanks? - Manuela da Silva, Fiocruz, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation | PDF VIDEO |
| 09:30 - 09:45 | The Nagoya Protocol in Mexico - Adelita San Vicente Tello, SEMARNAT | VIDEO |
| 09:45 - 10:00 | The Nagoya Protocol and the EU ABS Regulation from a Users’ Perspective - Janina Bornemann, University of Bremen | PDF VIDEO |
| 10:00 - 10:15 | Community protocols and ABS of genetic resources and traditional knowledge associated to genetic resources at the local level - Guadalupe Yesenia Hernández Márquez & Adriana Flores Díaz, International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services IIFBES | |
| 10:15 - 10:45 | Morning Coffee break | |
| 10:45 - 11:00 | The Nagoya Protocol: Where to start? Build your ABS Strategy - Melania Muñoz García, Leibniz Institute DSMZ | |
| 11:00 - 11:15 | Digital Sequence Information and Open Biodata Resources - Chuck Cook, University of Cambridge | |
| 11:15 - 11:25 | Q&A Chair - Gilberto Ocampo | |
| 11:25 - 11:30 | Closing Remarks - Manuela da Silva | |
| 11:30 - 12:00 | Conference Group Picture | |
| 12:00 - 13:30 | Lunch break | |
| 13:30 - 15:00 | General Assembly Meeting and Conference Close | |
| 15:00 - 16:00 | Workshop II: GGBN and the Future of Biodiversity Biobanking | |
| 16:00 - 17:00 | Executive Committee Meeting | |
