The GGBN Data Standard (https://terms.tdwg.org/wiki/GGBN_Data_Standard) provides a platform based on a documented agreement to promote the efficient sharing and usage of genomic sample material and associated specimen information in a consistent way. It builds upon existing standards commonly used within the community extending them with the capability to exchange data on tissue, environmental and DNA samples as well as sequences. The standard has been recently extended to support environmental DNA and High Throughput Sequencing (HTS) library samples. Both, eDNA and HTS library sample use cases have been published in the GGBN Sandbox (http://sandbox.ggbn.org) and will be presented here. The use case collection is documented in the GGBN wiki (http://wiki.ggbn.org/ggbn/Use_Case_Collection).

In addition a general overview of the GGBN Data Portal (http://www.ggbn.org) will be given. Based on ABCD, DwC and the GGBN Data Standard the GGBN Data Portal is the gateway to standardized access of DNA, tissue and environmental samples and their associated specimens.

The third core piece of GGBN is the GGBN Document Library (https://library.ggbn.org), today containing more than 300 documents about research, management and legal aspects of biodiversity biobanks. We will provide an overview of covered topics and gaps that the community can help to fill.

Finally an outlook of goals and priority tasks for the next two years will be given.

GGBN Data Standard, biobanks, DNA, tissue samples, molecular collections

Gabriele Droege