FLMNH GRR: the Genetic Resources Repository at the Florida Museum of Natural History
The GRR archives tissue samples, molecular preparations (DNA and RNA) and molecular products generated by the research and conservation projects conducted at the Florida Museum of Natural History
Our mission
The mission of the GRR is to guarantee the proper preservation of genetic resources (tissues samples, molecular preparations and products) of the seven neontological research collections and the molecular biology laboratory of the Florida Museum of Natural History (FLMNH) and to facilitate their use by the global scientific community.
To accomplish this mission, GRR holdings are stored under cryogenic conditions. The information linking these holdings to their source voucher material and to other data relevant to their value in molecular studies is managed in a customized database. The database contents can be accessed and searched online.
Significance of the GRR
Currently, over 30,000 samples with potential value for molecular studies are held at the neontology collections of the FLMNH. We estimate these holdings will grow by more than 100,000 in the next 15 to 20 years as a result of ongoing projects and the routine biological surveys led by museum scientists. These materials include unique samples from a wide diversity of taxonomic groups and geographic regions and should prove instrumental to a broad array of research programs worldwide.
Many specimens already housed in the GRR constitute rare and endangered species from several regions of the world. An important component of our collection are the specimens from peninsular Florida (e.g. Florida panther), which represent ecosystems that have been almost completely eliminated as a result of extensive habitat disruption.
The GRR was established in the fall of 2006 and will be developed over a three year period. At the end of this period, the museum's genetic resources will be housed in a centralized facility and will be managed under standardized database and loan protocols.
How is the collection managed?
The GRR is part of the Florida Museum of Natural History. Several ranges within the museum deposit tissues or genetic preparations generated by their projects in the GRR. A team of museum scientists manages growing GRR collection. This team supervises the physical transfer of existing genetic resources to the GRR freezers and the development of appropriate data and loan management protocols. Lab assistants prepare and store samples in a liquid nitrogen freezer located at Dickinson Hall. Detailed information regarding current GRR management and loan request procedures can be found on the protocols page.
These web pages are based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0545232. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recomendations expressed in this website are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation (NSF).
