[Nhcoll-l] Collections Policy Survey: Molecular Sampling & Bio-imaging

[Gignac, Paul]

Dear Researchers, Curators, & Collections Teams,

We seek your input and practical points of view about the coordinated use of contrast-enhanced bio-imaging and molecular sampling techniques on wet-specimens from your collections. Please help inform efforts by the organismal biology community to meaningfully combine these tools by taking our short (5 min), anonymous survey (Google Forms link follows).

Natural history collections extensively document organismal diversity, thereby providing for a deeper understanding of the natural world. Accessing both molecular (e.g., genetics, proteomics, genomics) and 3D anatomical data from wet-preserved specimens is highly valued by scientists, funding organizations, and research journals around the world. This survey is specifically targeted at curators and managers of wet specimens in research and teaching collections to ascertain how they value the scope and use of these tools as well as to ascertain potential interests in virtualizing collections access.


https://forms.gle/ZmhfST4WQK64JKPB7



Who are we?
Ashley, Leigha, and I are professors at the University of Washington at St. Louis, Midwestern University, and the Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences. Collectively, we specialize in standard and contrast-enhanced micro-CT imaging (fossil, skeletal, and soft-tissue CT scanning [the latter using primarily using iodine and vascular injection media]), digital 3D anatomical reconstruction, modern and ancient DNA sampling techniques, as well as bioinformatics, phylogenetics, and comparative methods tools. We have research affiliations/appointments at the American Museum of Natural History, Field Museum of Natural History, Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural history, and the MicroCT Imaging Consortium for Research and Outreach.

What are we pursuing?

We see the remarkable value that bio-imaging and molecular sampling hold for the collections and research communities for data generation, sharing, community outreach, and preservation, and we seek to bring these tools together so that genotype-to-phenotype datasets can be routinely and confidently sampled from, and registered to, vouchered specimens. However, we cannot move forward without hearing your feedback. Your input will help us determine if reconciling these techniques is of general interest to the Natural History Collections community, and, therefore, whether our goals may be worth pursuing at an international scale.


Why are we using Google Forms?
Google Forms is a widely available, trusted, and secure platform for enlisting community feedback. It has allowed us to develop question and answer formats that reflect the scope and nuance we are hoping to appreciate by reaching out to Natural History Collections communities.


How can you find out results of the survey?
The survey will conclude later this spring. Please reach out to us by email for survey results or indicate your interest in receiving the results at the end of the survey. We are also available by email if you have concerns about this inquiry.


Thank you for your time and consideration. If you know of others, who would be interested in sharing their points of view, please forward our inquiry on to those folks. We greatly appreciate it.

Sincerely,
Drs. Paul Gignac, Leigha Lynch, & Ashley Morhardt


[cid:981B581A48E5465FBFBC0CAC3B6BD3E7]


...

Associate Professor of Neuroanatomy & Vertebrate Paleontology

Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences

1111 W 17th Street

Tulsa, Oklahoma

USA 74107-1898


Office: (918) 561-8265

Lab: (918) 561-8242

Fax: (918) 561-5798


@diceCT

www.diceCT.com


@OSUVertPaleo

https://health.okstate.edu/biomedical/paleontology.html
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