Seminar title: Making eDNA data FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable)

Speaker:

Dr. Miwa Takahashi, CERC Postdoctoral Fellow, Environomics Future Science Platform, NCMI  |  CSIRO 

Abstract:

Environmental DNA (eDNA) has emerged as a powerful monitoring tool for species detection and distribution mapping, with a remarkable surge in activity over the past decade. Metabarcoding studies have generated millions of DNA sequences with taxonomic assignments, while species-specific eDNA assays have produced comprehensive distribution maps for hundreds of taxa. Despite the widespread practice of data sharing upon publication, inconsistent data formats pose challenges for data reuse. To address this issue, the “Making eDNA FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable)” project has been launched. Our international, multidisciplinary working group, consisting of eDNA researchers, journal editors and biodiversity and omics data scientists, is developing best practice guidelines for eDNA data formatting and sharing. Our aim is to extend the eDNA data lifecycle, facilitating reuse and reanalyses of this invaluable biodiversity data resource. Please join our seminar to learn about the FAIR data principles and the project, and start our discussions on the bottlenecks, needs, and strategies to achieve FAIR eDNA!

Biography:

Miwa was born and raised in Tokyo and moved to Australia at 18 to learn English and work as a diving instructor. Her love for the natural world and growing concern about the impacts on coral reefs led her to an undergraduate and Honours degrees in Marine Biology at James Cook University. She then worked, travelled, and completed a PhD in Marine Ecology at Curtin University, where she discovered the world of eDNA. Fascinated by the potential of eDNA to protect the natural world, Miwa now works at Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency), leading a project to “make eDNA FAIR”.

Zoom link:

Meeting URL：https://oist.zoom.us/j/91899729482?pwd=IUadis033yUoE4R9APmcXevzj2PXnw.1
Meeting ID:   918 9972 9482
Passcode：   602564