Biological Collections
ENSURING CRITICAL RESEARCH AND EDUCATION
FOR THE 21ST CENTURY
Committee on Biological Collections: Their Past, Present,
and Future Contributions and Options for Sustaining Them
Board on Life Sciences
Division on Earth and Life Studies
THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS
Washington, DC
www.nap.edu
THE NATIONALACADEMIES PRESS 500 Fifth Street, NW Washington, DC 20001
This activity was supported by contracts between the National Academy of Sciences and the National Science Foundation’s Division of Biological Infrastructure (Contract Number 10003964). Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of any organization or agency that provided support for the project.
International Standard Book Number-13: 978-0-309-49853-1
International Standard Book Number-10: 0-309-49853-8
Digital Object Identifier: https://doi.org/10.17226/25592
Library of Congress Control Number: 2020947331
Additional copies of this publication are available from the National Academies Press, 500 Fifth Street, NW, Keck 360, Washington, DC 20001; (800) 624-6242 or (202) 334-3313; http://www.nap.edu.
Cover credits: Fresh kelp seaweed salad seafood vector illustration by Debahuti Bhattacharya on Shutterstock.com; set of cartoon underwater plants and sponges by Natali Snailcat at Shutterstock.com; Escherichia coli bacterium by Kateryna Kon on Shutterstock.com; watercolor vector hand-painted hummingbird by Elena Medvedeva on iStockphoto.com; DNA blue-colored double helix by KvitaJan on iStockphoto.com; modified handwork watercolor illustration of multicolored jellyfish by 4uda4ka on iStockphoto.com; computed tomography (CT) reconstruction of an angler, Lophius piscatorius, by Zachary Randall, Florida Museum of Natural History (reference UF 118531); 3D illustration of ammonite fossil by royaltystockphoto.com on Shutterstock.com; Micro-CT scan of a Burundi screeching frog, Arthroleptis schubotzi, by David C. Blackburn and Edward L. Stanley, Florida Museum of Natural History; modified hand-drawn honeybees by Val_Iva on iStockphoto.com; handwork watercolor illustration of red vari lemur by lenny777 on iStockphoto.com; watercolor vector hand-painted set with eucalyptus leaves by Elena Medvedeva on iStockphoto.com; illustration of yeast as part of the archives of Pearson Scott Foresman, donated to the Wikimedia Foundation; watercolor illustration of mushrooms by Darina_V on Shutterstock.com; illustration of a deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) from See Pest & Lawn Solutions, Collegeville, Pennsylvania; digital tree on technology background representing the growth of modern-age digital media by monsitj on iStockphoto.com.
Copyright 2020 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
Printed in the United States of America
Suggested citation: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Biological Collections: Ensuring Critical Research and Education for the 21st Century. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/25592.
The National Academy of Sciences was established in 1863 by an Act of Congress, signed by President Lincoln, as a private, nongovernmental institution to advise the nation on issues related to science and technology. Members are elected by their peers for outstanding contributions to research. Dr. Marcia McNutt is president.
The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964 under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences to bring the practices of engineering to advising the nation. Members are elected by their peers for extraordinary contributions to engineering. Dr. John L. Anderson is president.
The National Academy of Medicine (formerly the Institute of Medicine) was established in 1970 under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences to advise the nation on medical and health issues. Members are elected by their peers for distinguished contributions to medicine and health. Dr. Victor J. Dzau is president.
The three Academies work together as the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to provide independent, objective analysis and advice to the nation and conduct other activities to solve complex problems and inform public policy decisions. The National Academies also encourage education and research, recognize outstanding contributions to knowledge, and increase public understanding in matters of science, engineering, and medicine.
Learn more about the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine at www.nationalacademies.org.
Consensus Study Reports published by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine document the evidence-based consensus on the study’s statement of task by an authoring committee of experts. Reports typically include findings, conclusions, and recommendations based on information gathered by the committee and the committee’s deliberations. Each report has been subjected to a rigorous and independent peer-review process and it represents the position of the National Academies on the statement of task.
Proceedings published by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine chronicle the presentations and discussions at a workshop, symposium, or other event convened by the National Academies. The statements and opinions contained in proceedings are those of the participants and are not endorsed by other participants, the planning committee, or the National Academies.
For information about other products and activities of the National Academies, please visit www.nationalacademies.org/about/whatwedo.
COMMITTEE ON BIOLOGICAL COLLECTIONS: THEIR PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE CONTRIBUTIONS AND OPTIONS FOR SUSTAINING THEM
Co-Chairs
JAMES P. COLLINS, Arizona State University
SHIRLEY A. POMPONI, Florida Atlantic University
Members
ANDREW C. BENTLEY, The University of Kansas
RICK E. BORCHELT, Department of Energy
KYRIA BOUNDY-MILLS, University of California, Davis
JOSEPH A. COOK, The University of New Mexico
LYNN D. DIERKING, Oregon State University
SCOTT V. EDWARDS (NAS), Harvard University
MANZOUR H. HAZBÓN, American Type Culture Collection
TALIA S. KARIM, University of Colorado
GEORGE I. MATSUMOTO, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
PAMELA S. SOLTIS (NAS), University of Florida
BARBARA M. THIERS, New York Botanical Garden
Staff
AUDREY THÉVENON, Study Director
KEEGAN SAWYER, Senior Program Officer
JESSICA DE MOUY, Senior Program Assistant
ALYSSA R. FREDERICK, Christine Mirzayan Science & Technology Policy Fellow
MATTHEW ANDERSON, Financial Business Partner
FRAN SHARPLES, Director (until February 2020)
KAVITA BERGER, Director (from July 2020)
Consultant
ROBERT POOL, Editor
BOARD ON LIFE SCIENCES
Chair
JAMES P. COLLINS, Arizona State University
Members
A. ALONSO AGUIRRE, George Mason University
VALERIE H. BONHAM, Ropes & Gray LLP
DOMINIQUE BROSSARD, University of Wisconsin–Madison
NANCY D. CONNELL, Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security
SEAN M. DECATUR, Kenyon College
JOSEPH R. ECKER (NAS), Howard Hughes Medical Institute
SCOTT V. EDWARDS (NAS), Harvard University
GERALD L. EPSTEIN, National Defense University
ROBERT J. FULL, University of California, Berkeley
MARY E. MAXON, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
JILL P. MESIROV, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine and Moores Cancer Center
ROBERT NEWMAN, The Aspen Institute
STEPHEN J. O’BRIEN (NAS), Nova Southeastern University
LUCILA OHNO-MACHADO, University of California, San Diego
CLAIRE POMEROY (NAM), Albert and Mary Lasker Foundation
MARY E. POWER (NAS), University of California, Berkeley
SUSAN RUNDELL SINGER, Rollins College
LANA SKIRBOLL, Sanofi
DAVID R. WALT (NAE, NAM), Harvard Medical School
PHYLLIS M. WISE, University of Colorado
Staff
KAVITA BERGER, Director
FRAN SHARPLES, Scholar/Senior Project Director
JO HUSBANDS, Scholar/Senior Project Director
KATHERINE BOWMAN, Senior Program Officer
KEEGAN SAWYER, Senior Program Officer
ANDREA HODGSON, Senior Program Officer
AUDREY THÉVENON, Program Officer
STEVEN MOSS, Associate Program Officer
MATTHEW ANDERSON, Financial Business Partner
JESSICA DE MOUY, Senior Program Assistant
KOSSANA YOUNG, Senior Program Assistant
At this point in our history it is vitally important to acknowledge the fact that more and more of the species in biological collections will represent species, or certainly populations, that no longer exist as living organisms in nature. As scientists and as a society, we need to protect the specimens that we have, and to take special care with those we are collecting now. Equally important will be ongoing efforts to expand the types of living organisms we culture for research.
In many cases, museums and stock centers will, unfortunately, end up having the last remnants of species and populations that will never again exist on Earth. It’s almost as if we had a few days to collect on another planet, and will never be there again.
In view of this situation, we need to think deeply and thoughtfully about the preservation of what we have, to collect and culture comprehensive specimens, ones for which material useful for genomic analysis is preserved, and then figure out how to keep our biological collections well maintained for as long as possible.
Peter H. Raven, President Emeritus, Missouri Botanical Garden
This page intentionally left blank.
Preface
Biological collections are a critical component of the scientific infrastructure in the United States and globally. They advance scientific discovery and innovation, enrich education, connect communities to nature and science, and preserve Earth’s biological heritage. Our nation’s natural history and living stock collections enable research to improve health, food security, and national defense. Biological collections are used to reveal the history of life on Earth, study the impacts of humans on biodiversity, advance biomedical research, and develop improved crops, biocontrol agents, and pharmaceuticals.
Biological collections house living and preserved specimens that have a record of shedding light on the emergence and spread of pathogens and their hosts. Notably, the committee began working on this report before the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic started and finished it in the midst of the viral outbreak. Infectious diseases are a clear point at which living stock and natural history collections intersect in the service of society. COVID-19, for example, reminds us that pandemics and epidemics are not just ancient events, but under the right circumstances, new pathogens can emerge and cause great harm to modern societies. Biological collections provide the specimens needed to understand how infectious diseases emerge and how they might be mitigated before reaching the destructive level of the modern-day COVID-19 pandemic.
The ability to store, access, and use collections has significantly improved with new methods of automation, preservation, information extraction, data integration, and related technologies. Yet, despite the rich history of research, discovery, learning, and innovation made possible by biological collections, the infrastructure that supports them and makes them accessible deserves to be valued and appreciated much more than it is.
The biological collections community has produced many discerning and detailed reports on the needs, capabilities, and promise of biological collections. This Consensus Study Report echoes the findings of preceding publications while bringing new insights and a fresh perspective on ways to maintain, enhance, and expand the full portfolio of resources and assets that reside in biological collections. The report also reminds us that biological collections are part of the world’s scientific infrastructure. Sustaining the priceless biological collections that are our heritage and our legacy is urgent if we are to continue to be able to address world-class scientific questions that depend on these kinds of collections, foster innovation, and support educational needs, now and in the future.
We extend our gratitude to the many experts who taught us about the range of challenges and accomplishments of biological collections. Their knowledge and insight through webinars, in-person presentations, and written comments sent through the project website stimulated rich discussion and enhanced the quality of the report. We also thank the external reviewers of the report for helping us to improve its accuracy. This report would not have been possible without the exceptional contributions of the National Academies of Sciences,
Engineering, and Medicine. Our committee is grateful to Audrey Thévenon, our study director, and Keegan Sawyer, senior program officer, for their guidance, dedication, and perseverance. Jessica De Mouy provided exemplary behind-the-scenes technical and logistical support for all of the committee’s activities. Robert Pool substantially improved the language and format in our report.
The committee was fortunate to have a diverse and knowledgeable membership. The expertise, perspective, and dedication of the committee members cannot be overstated. We extend a special thank you to our colleagues on the committee who worked tirelessly to thoughtfully and carefully review a large amount of information and prepare this Consensus Study Report. It was an honor and privilege to work with all of them.
We hope that the committee’s recommendations will provide inspiration and an evidence-based framework to build and support the nation’s biological collections, which are crucial contributors to our capacity for discovery, innovation, and competitiveness now and for future generations.
James P. Collins and Shirley A. Pomponi, Co-Chairs
Committee on Biological Collections:
Their Past, Present, and Future Contributions and Options for Sustaining Them
Reviewers
This Consensus Study Report was reviewed in draft form by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise. The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in making each published report as sound as possible and to ensure that it meets the institutional standards for quality, objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the study charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the deliberative process.
We thank the following individuals for their review of this report:
Although the reviewers listed above provided many constructive comments and suggestions, they were not asked to endorse the conclusions or recommendations of this report nor did they see the final draft before its release. The review of this report was overseen by PETER H. RAVEN, Missouri Botanical Garden, and JOEL CRACRAFT, American Museum of Natural History. They were responsible for making certain that an independent examination of this report was carried out in accordance with the standards of the National Academies and that all review comments were carefully considered. Responsibility for the final content rests entirely with the authoring committee and the National Academies.
This page intentionally left blank.
Contents
The Promise of Biological Collections
2 ADVANCING DISCOVERY, INSPIRING INNOVATION, AND INFORMING SOCIETAL CHALLENGES
Fundamental Ways in Which Biological Collections Support Scientific Research
3 CONTRIBUTING TO SCIENCE EDUCATION AND LIFELONG LEARNING
Increasing Student Knowledge and Understanding in Formal Education Settings
Inspiring a Lifelong Appreciation for Science in Informal Education Settings
Broadening Participation in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
Evaluating Impacts on Formal Education and Lifelong Learning
4 BUILDING AND MAINTAINING A ROBUST INFRASTRUCTURE
The Promise of Biological Collections Infrastructure
Recommendations for the Next Steps
5 GENERATING, INTEGRATING, AND ACCESSING DIGITAL DATA
Current State of Digitization, Data, and Cyberinfrastructure
6 CULTIVATING A HIGHLY SKILLED WORKFORCE
Biological Collections Require Personnel with Multifaceted and Complex Competencies
The Biological Collections Workforce Ecosystem
Recommendations for the Next Steps
7 SECURING FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY
Range of Options for Addressing the Issue of Financial Sustainability
Recommendations for the Next Steps
Critical Junctures Indicate That the Time to Act Is Now