ABCSG

The Animal Biobanking for Conservation Specialist Group (ABCSG) was established in 2022 as a new Specialist Group under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Species Survival Commission (SSC). The ABCSG’s mission is to create a global network for sharing information and expertise to establish facilities that cryopreserve viable animal cells and tissues. It was created in response to an IUCN Resolution (WCC-2020-Res-079), which specifically calls for the establishment of a collaborative global biobanking network.

The ABCSG promotes cooperation amongst the world's biobanks, notably those with a focus on biodiversity characterization and conservation. The ABCSG also encourages the conservation community—ranging from individuals to institutions—to consider incorporating sample collection for the purpose of biobanking into their efforts, and to do so with collaboration and inclusion in mind.

For more information, visit the ABCSG’s website