Scientific Collections, Food Security and Emerging Infectious Diseases Eileen Graham and David Schindel Scientific Collections International (SciColl) Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC [email protected] and [email protected]

www.scicoll.org

What is SciColl? Scientific Collections International: • A consortium of three countries and six institutions • Works across all disciplines that maintain institutional collections • Works closely with NSTC Interagency Working Group on

Scientific Collections (IWGSC) • Supported by member contributions scaled to GERD and budgets for collections (~$220K/yr)

• Coordinated through a Secretariat Office hosted by the Smithsonian Institution www.scicoll.org

SciColl’s Scope • Ambitious range of scientific disciplines biodiversity

anthropology/ archaeology

earth sciences

Collection

Collection

Collection

biomedicine

Collection

• All forms of collection preservation • Global participation by governments and institutions with scientific collections

www.scicoll.org

The Problem: ‘stove-piped’ collections and research programs Biodiversity

Anthropology/ Archaeology

Earth Sciences

Biomedicine

Research community

Research community

Research community

Research community

Collection

Collection

Collection

Collection

www.scicoll.org

The Solution: coordinated collections and integrated research cross-disciplinary research team

cross-disciplinary research team

cross-disciplinary research team

virtual network of collections with interoperable information resources biodiversity

anthropology/ archaeology

earth sciences

Collection

Collection

Collection

www.scicoll.org

biomedicine

Collection

SciColl’s Goals and Activities • Promote interdisciplinary research that relies on scientific collections with focus on:  Emerging infectious diseases  Food security

 Global environmental change  Human migration • Improve visibility and access to collections:  Global Registry of Scientific Collections • Increase awareness of and support for collections:  Varied outreach activities www.scicoll.org

SciColl’s History: 2006-2013 • February 2006: OECD Global Science Forum activity proposed by Netherlands • Planning Workshops    

October 2007: Leiden June 2008: Washington May 2009: London September 2009: Berlin

• International Conferences  February 2010: Brussels  February 2011: Melbourne

• 2010-2011: Membership initiative

• September 2012: Decision to launch • April 2013: Launch ceremony at OECD Paris • November 2013: Secretariat established at Smithsonian www.scicoll.org

SciColl’s Major Deliverables: EID Workshop, October 2014

Published March 2015

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Published January 2016

Workshop: 27-28 October 2014 • • • •

40 participants with diverse perspectives Public health and disease researchers Government agency representatives Researchers/curators of collections: – Biodiversity (natural history museums, zoos) – Human patient samples – Wildlife biology – Livestock, other domesticated animals – Pathogens, parasites, culture collections

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Unmet Needs • A common language and standardized vocabulary that crosses disciplines • More ‘holistic’ collections that include parasites, pathogens, DNA • Better online access to collections, associated data, diagnostics – More interconnected databases – Fewer disconnected portals – Systematic connections to uncharacterized outbreaks, undiagnosed deaths www.scicoll.org

Action Items A. Build collaborations between EID researchers and collections communities B. Promote interoperability and a collaborative culture among communities with different types of collections C. Approach EIDs and collections as a ‘Big Data’ challenge

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SciColl e-Consultation, Summer 2016 • A virtual workshop leading to an Outlook document • Collections, food security and emerging infectious diseases • Biweekly videoconferences – International initiatives on emerging infectious diseases and food security; – Government agencies involved in these research challenges; – Private foundations with interests in addressing these threats to society; – Leading research organizations engaged in these topics; and – Communities of scientific collections related to infectious diseases and food security.

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Outlook Document: Draft Outline A. Research and Collections Priorities: 1. What are the ten most significant research or

mitigation questions concerning Emerging Infectious Diseases for which important information might be drawn from scientific collections? 2. What are the ten most significant research or mitigation questions concerning Food Security for which important information might be drawn from scientific collections? 3. What types of collections are contributing or could be contributing information on these questions?

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B. Priority Action Items: 4. New types of collections? 5. New types of research and mitigation activities? 6. New tools and resources, such as: a. New modes of specimen collecting, documentation and preservation? b. Common terminology and data standards? c. New databases and database interoperability? 7. New funding opportunities and organizational behavior such as: a. New modes and programs for project funding? b. New modes of supporting scientific collections and their use? c. New approaches to education and workforce training? d. Organizational networking, communication and coordination? e. New policies concerning scientific collections and their use? www.scicoll.org

SciColl Symposium on Food Security

• Stressors and Drivers of Food Security: Evidence from Scientific Collections • 19-21 September 2016 at the USDA National Agriculture Library, Beltsville, MD – Lightning talks on potentially relevant collection types – How are new food sources identified and developed? – How can biological and environmental stressors on food sources be addressed and aids promoted? – Feeding the 10 Billion • Which collections can contribute to research and applications and what should they be doing? www.scicoll.org

SciColl’s Major Deliverables: 2015 Global Registry of Scientific Collections NSF-funded workshops, 2015-16, to gather user feedback

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SciColl‘s Public Outreach and Scientific Engagement

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Scientific Collections International

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