Biobanking & Species Conservation: The LIB as the Engine of the Global Network

Biobanks for biodiversity, such as the one at the LIB, preserve unique genetic samples for current and future generations of researchers. The Global Genome Biodiversity Network (GGBN) connects these biobanks, thereby enabling the scientific community to make use of the genetic material of living organisms worldwide. The LIB’s biobank is a key component of the network, for which the LIB has been providing secretariat services since the start of the year.

Biobanks – that is, frozen collections of biological samples such as DNA or tissue – open a window into the past of ecosystems, species and populations. Collecting these samples enables important follow-up studies without the need to take further samples from the natural environment. Biobanking thus makes a key contribution to the conservation of biological diversity.

The GGBN connects biobanks worldwide, brings together research and sets common standards. At its heart is a central online portal that currently brings together data from 50 partner biobanks. Seven million samples are already available here – and the number is rising. The GGBN shares these genetic samples and genomic data directly with biobanks and the scientific community.

Living cell cultures: new approaches to combating biodiversity loss

A new development is the growing focus on living cell cultures. “Although this is more expensive and labour-intensive, it represents a huge step forward,” explains Jonas Astrin. As the cells remain viable when deep-frozen in liquid nitrogen at around -190 °C, their metabolism continues after thawing. In animals, for example, this enables the use of stem cells or the cultivation of organoids (small pseudo-organs), which can replace animal testing.

Technologies such as genetic engineering – the targeted modification of genetic material – also become conceivable in this way. “However, such procedures may only be used within an ethically justifiable and environmentally sustainable framework, and only after sufficient testing,” emphasises Astrin. A concrete example: If animal and plant species lack genetic diversity, they are at risk of extinction. Science can save these threatened species by ‘refreshing’ their genetic material with genes from the past. These genes come, for example, from conspecifics in populations that have only recently been wiped out by humans.

A global alliance for biodiversity

The precursor to GGBN began in 2007 as a German research project. GGBN has since developed into a global, democratically structured network. The Smithsonian Institution in the USA played a key role in expanding the project to the international level. Today, the network is governed by global bodies such as the General Assembly, the Executive Committee and various task forces.

GGBN now has 120 members from over 40 countries, primarily museums and botanical gardens. Increasingly, partners from the biodiversity-rich countries of the Global South are also joining. Anyone wishing to participate must, above all, meet one condition: as with the LIB, the samples may not, as a rule, be used for commercial purposes.

LIB heads the global GGBN Secretariat

Since January, the LIB has been leading the global GGBN secretariat. As an international service partner, the LIB drives the joint mission forward, forges new contacts, monitors processes and negotiates with other networks. It also supports the technical office at the Berlin Botanical Garden, which operates the GGBN portal and coordinates data exchange between the partner biobanks.

“Through this collaboration, the LIB can play an active role in shaping the global network and continuously professionalise its own biobank,” says Astrin, explaining the significance for the LIB. “Furthermore, the institute gains first-hand knowledge of the latest developments and actively helps shape the latest trends in research.”

With the biobank’s move to the new LIB building in Bonn-Poppelsdorf, state-of-the-art laboratories have been established – including cell culture and cytogenetics laboratories. Furthermore, storage has been completely converted to liquid nitrogen. With this state-of-the-art infrastructure, the LIB is positioning itself internationally as a strong partner and making a decisive contribution to innovative biodiversity research and collection.

Shared successes and the issue of funding

GGBN has created a permanent digital data hub. The network publishes standards, manuals, guidelines and recommendations that are extensively used within the biobanking community – including via a comprehensive document server. GGBN brings the biodiversity biobank community together, gives it a voice and implements joint projects. Regular global conferences and online workshops, such as the recent ‘GGBN Open Hour’ on the topic of cell cultures, promote the continuous exchange of knowledge.

However, international networks require long-term financial security. The LIB and the Berlin Botanical Garden are currently seeking a viable solution to secure funding for the secretariats for the next term of office.