Details for Tissue and DNA Collection (Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History)

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Collection data
NameTissue and DNA Collection (Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History)
Alternative name
DescriptionThe museum’s genetic resource collections began more than 40 years ago as curator-driven research material. Over time, we realized that dispersed collections are vulnerable to equipment failures and sample mismanagement or loss. Therefore, we began an organized effort to centralize these collections, first within some research departments, and then throughout the museum.
In 2010 NMNH constructed a biorepository, which began receiving collections in 2011. The current capacity is approximately 4.2 million 2 ml cryovials that are housed in 76 ultra-cold mechanical and liquid nitrogen freezers and a small number of refrigerators. All cold storage units are monitored constantly for performance.
NMNH uses a modified version of FreezerPro (Ruro.com) to maintain and track inventory. FreezerPro is connected via an Application Programming Interface (API) to KE EMu, the museum’s catalog system. EMu provides a limited form of the catalog information to allow easier identification of samples. Each vial is assigned a locally unique Biorepository Number by FreezerPro to facilitate a unified system for locating and identifying samples.
The collection includes insects, birds, terrestrial plants, marine and terrestrial invertebrates, algae, fish, reptiles, mammals, amphibians, bacteria and protozoans. Current strengths are in bird, marine and terrestrial mammal, and insect holdings, although significant projects have been initiated that will broaden and deepen the taxonomical representation as well as environments. Human tissues, commercial, and agricultural products are not a part of the collection. A complete inventory of all holdings is underway. The entire collection presently numbers more than 250,000 and could be twice that number. All these materials are available for use in genomic research, toxicology studies and environmental monitoring.
Description for specialists
Cite as
Provenance
Notes
Primary grouping principleRepository
Primary purposeResearch
Part of collection
Related collection(s)
Known to contain typesIncludes types
Rights
RightsWe own them
Access rightsCopyright Smithsonian Institution
Usage restrictionsVary with collection item
Collection types
Genetic, Preserved, Products, Tissue
McGinley conservation statuses
Level 6 Identified, integrated, and adequately curated.
Date 20-11-2015 (dd-mm-yyyy)
Development status
Active growth
Collectors
Affiliated Researchers, Research Partners, Smithsonian Researchers
Expeditions
Formation periods
Collection extents
Not entered
Kingdom coverage
Animalia, Archaebacteria, Eubacteria, Fungi, Plantae, Protista
Taxon coverage
Not entered
Common name coverage
, 1
Geospatial coverage
Living time periods
Specimen preservation methods
Cryopreserved, Frozen
Media
Liquid Nitrogen
File formats
Not entered
Item level access
Source: http://data.ggbn.org/ggbn_new/stats/details?registry=NMNH%2C+Washington
Description: A portion of the Tissue and DNA collection can be accessed through the GGBN Data Portal. The museum is currently working towards making the entire collection discoverable.
Related material
Not entered
Institution
Smithsonian Institution - National Museum of Natural History (NMNH)
Persons
Mr. Chris Huddleston
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