iBOL » Australia

Adelaide spotlight on biosecurity

john.chenery — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 16:10:08 +0000

Conference session to showcase latest research

The latest research into using DNA barcoding to enhance biosecurity will be in the spotlight in the Barcoding for Biosecurity session at the fourth International Barcode of Life Conference in Adelaide in November.

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The session will highlight the regulatory, social, political and technical impediments to wider implementation of barcoding for biosecurity applications and present possible solutions.

The world’s agro-ecosystems are coming under increasing pressure as populations continue to rise and climates change,” said session chair Andrew Mitchell, an insect systematist at the Australian Museum in Sydney. “Controlling pests and diseases and preventing their expansion into new areas is now more important than ever before.”

Mitchell, who is Australia’s representative on the iBOL Scientific Steering Committee, said that biosecurity applications feature prominently in lists of potential uses of DNA barcoding. “Compiling a DNA barcode database of the world’s most important pests, parasites and pathogens should be one of our top priorities,” he said.

TREEBOL: Tackling deforestation with DNA

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The ability to make fast, accurate identifications of tree species in the timber supply chain is a key component of strategies to protect high-value trees from illegal logging. The current identification method using anatomical characteristics often makes species resolution impossible, particularly for some closely related high value timber species such as mahoganies.

This session will focus on efforts to develop DNA barcoding methods to distinguish between species, helping to limit the trade in illegally logged species and redirect market pressures that drive deforestation into sustainable timber sources.

HealthBOL: Tracking vectors and pathogens

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Speakers at this session will cover disease vectors and pathogens of medical and veterinary importance. “Vector-borne pathogens are of considerable public health and economic importance globally but particularly in the tropics,” said session chair Dan Masiga, head of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology at African Insect Science for Food and Health (icipe) in Nairobi.

Masiga, who also sits on the iBOL Scientific Steering Committee representing Kenya and chairing Working Group 1.4 – Animal Parasites, Pathogens & Vectors, said that barcoding can provide data that will help better understand vector and pathogen variability, and epidemiology, with potential value for designing control efforts.

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Boom time for DNA barcoding

john.chenery — Thu, 12 May 2011 17:16:17 +0000

Huge interest in Adelaide conference

The Fourth International Barcode of Life Conference, to be held in Adelaide from November 28 to December 3, has smashed records for the number of abstracts submitted by potential presenters.

When submissions closed on June 30, a grand total of 487 abstracts had been received from 57 countries.

“This has easily surpassed levels of interest leading up to the 2009 Mexico City conference – 255 abstracts from 44 countries,” said David Schindel, Executive Secretary of the Consortium for the Barcode of Life (CBOL), which is organizing the conference.

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And while the Program Committed suggested 30 topics for potential sessions, people submitting abstracts proposed an additional 19 session topics, more evidence of the exuberant growth of barcoding at the grass-roots level.

What will be the principal themes in Adelaide? Here are some of the main attractions as revealed by the abstracts:

1. Barcoding is now a mainstream tool in taxonomy. Specialists in an increasingly diverse array of taxonomic groups will have many opportunities for discussions with other experts in their fields.

2. There has been tremendous progress on barcoding fungi. The Fungal Working Group is expected to announce formal approval of a standard BARCODE region at Adelaide.

3. The use of next-generation sequencing for environmental samples has grown considerably.

4. Barcoding activities have expanded into new geographic areas and habitat types, ranging from the Himalayas to subterranean zones.

5. Plant barcoding has expanded dramatically since announcement of the standard barcode regions for land plants at the Mexico City conference.

6. Barcoding applications have diversified and expanded into areas such as ecological studies, all-taxa biodiversity inventories, species conservation, environmental quality assessment, and identification of agricultural pests and disease vectors.

7. New barcoding facilities and national networks have been established and are thriving.

The Program Committee and session organizers are currently reviewing abstracts and assigning them to conference sessions and poster display areas. Those who have submitted abstracts and travel bursary applications will be informed of the results in early August.

During the two days before the conference (November 28 and 29) newcomers to barcoding can attend introductory training sessions – the first devoted to Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD) and other informatics platforms, the second offering a short course on lab protocols, organized by CBOL’s Leading Labs Network.

For the four days of the actual conference, the Program Committee has planned a stimulating mix of formats:

• Plenary sessions on the first and last days;
• A session devoted to visiting poster presentations and exhibit booths;
• A session of four parallel sessions for general-interest presentations on plants, invertebrates, vertebrates and fungi/microbes;
• Three sessions with parallel meetings devoted to taxonomic groups and thematic topics; and
• A half-day of free time to explore Adelaide.

“Organizers of parallel sessions will have complete freedom to design the kind of sessions they think will be most interesting to the community with a mix of short oral presentations, poster presentations, workshop interactions and discussion,” said Schindel.

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4th International Barcode of Life Conference

admin — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 16:18:31 +0000

Adelaide, South Australia

Venue: University of Adelaide.

The Consortium for the Barcode of Life (CBOL) has announced that the Fourth International Barcode of Life Conference will be held in Adelaide, South Australia, in November, 2011. The event will be hosted by the University of Adelaide.

Information from Dr. Andrew Lowe, Conference Chair, will be made available soon on the conference web site

Andrew Mitchell

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 03:44:47 +0000

Australia representative

Integrative Systematist, Entomology,
Australian Museum, Sydney, Australia

Web: Profile
Email: Andrew.Mitchell@austmus.gov.au

Australia

admin — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 17:31:33 +0000

Regional Node

National Organization

Australian Barcode of Life Network (ABOLN)

SSC Representative

Andrew Mitchell
Australian Museum

SSC Alternate

Andrew Lowe
University of Adelaide

Goals

The Australian Barcode of Life Network (ABOLN) has been established to promote and develop DNA barcoding and its applications in Australia. The Network is an informal affiliation of individuals and organisations across Australia involved in or interested in the use of DNA barcoding.

The ABOLN Steering Committee (ABOLNSC) and the Network acknowledge the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Australian Museum, NSW Department of Primary Industries, Botanic Gardens Trust, Sydney, Biodiversity Institute of Ontario and Ontario Genomics Institute and will work to establish a regional barcoding node in Australia, consistent with this MOU and the objectives of the International Barcode of Life project (iBOL) and the Consortium of the Barcode of Life (CBOL).

The ABOLN Steering Committee provides a coordinating role on behalf of the Network in order to:
• Establish and maintain the Australian Barcode of Life Network (ABOLN)
• Inform the Network members about DNA barcoding initiatives, support, conferences and other such activities;
• Provide advice on meeting DNA barcoding standards;
• Establish and coordinate various means of communicating across the Network, including development of a web presence and a regular newsletter;
• Provide a coordination function on behalf of the Network for the following:
- Lobbying governments higher education, business and allied industries,
- Providing submissions on key issues relating to barcoding, and
- Providing information to media outlets relating to barcoding.
• Identify funding opportunities and coordinate funding bids on behalf of the Network;
• Organise conferences, workshops or training in relation to DNA barcoding, subject to available resources.

- Activities

- Organization

- Funding Plan

- Projects and Researchers

Andrew Lowe

admin — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 10:27:41 +0000

Australia alternate

Professor, Plant Conservation Biology
University of Adelaide,
Adelaide

Web: Profile
Email: Andrew.Lowe@adelaide.edu.au

Andrew Miller

admin — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 02:42:46 +0000