The aim of the workshop, in the context of the eDNAqua-Plan project and led by the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ), is to discuss our Blueprint for an eDNA Digital Ecosystem in Europe and to solicit your feedback and input in order to reach an optimal alignment with other initiatives at local to global scale as well as with the state of the art of eDNA biodiversity observation. A detailed agenda will follow the week before the workshop; preliminary agenda details are provided below.
When: 8th and 9th of October 2025, 14:00-18:00 CEST.
(12:00-16:00 UTC, 21:00-01:00 Tokyo, 23:00-03:00 Sydney, 05:00-09:00 Los Angeles, 08:00-12:00 New York)
Who: We are interested in stakeholders involved in eDNA science and data, including those involved in or representing the following:
- Sampling and processing to produce DNA sequences
- Sequence analysis and bioinformatics
- DNA reference libraries
- Taxonomic systems and backbones
- Biobanks and culture collections
- Publishers of DNA data and biodiversity data (where derived from DNA)
What: We would like to gather your feedback on the feasibility of implementing this future vision, in terms of technical requirements, human and financial resources, and policy and cultural considerations. Our aim is to understand what you ‒ the data creators, providers, publishers, and users ‒ think, so we can document not only what should be, but also what can be and what is needed for that to happen.
How: This interactive online workshop will be facilitated via Zoom and Miro to gather your input on the feasibility of a proposal we have developed to transition from the current fragmented and suboptimal eDNA data landscape to a future eDNA Digital Ecosystem that maximises the use and reuse of eDNA data, building on existing resources, infrastructures, and best practices.
Useful resources:
- Our mapping of the current and proposed future landscape
- Our vision for a European eDNA Digital Ecosystem
Contact:
Katrina Exter, Senior Science Officer, VLIZ
katrina.exter@vliz.be