Specimen collection is essential for modern science

NACHMAN, MICHAEL W.; BECKMAN, ELIZABETH J.; BOWIE, RAURI C.K.; CICERO, CARLA; CONROY, CHRIS J.; DUDLEY, ROBERT; HAYES, TYRONE B.; KOO, MICHELLE S.; LACEY, EILEEN A.; MARTIN, CHRISTOPHER H.; MCGUIRE, JIMMY A.; PATTON, JAMES L.; SPENCER, CAROL L.; TARVIN, REBECCA D.; WAKE, MARVALEE H.; WANG, IAN J.; ACHMADI, ANANG; ÁLVAREZ-CASTAÑEDA, SERGIO TICUL; ANDERSEN, MICHAEL J.; ARROYAVE, JAIRO; AUSTIN, CHRISTOPHER C.; BARKER, F. KEITH; BARROW, LISA N.; BARROWCLOUGH, GEORGE F.; BATES, JOHN; BAUER, AARON M.; BELL, KAYCE C.; BELL, RAYNA C.; BRONSON, ALLISON W.; BROWN, RAFE M.; BURBRINK, FRANK T.; BURNS, KEVIN J.; CADENA, CARLOS DANIEL; CANNATELLA, DAVID C.; CASTOE, TODD A.; CHAKRABARTY, PROSANTA; COLELLA, JOCELYN P.; COOK, JOSEPH A.; CRACRAFT, JOEL L.; DAVIS, DREW R.; DAVIS RABOSKY, ALISON R.; ELÍA, GUILLERMO D.; DUMBACHER, JOHN P.; DUNNUM, JONATHAN L.; EDWARDS, SCOTT V.; ESSELSTYN, JACOB A.; FAIVOVICH, JULIÁN; FJELDSÅ, JON; FLORES-VILLELA, OSCAR A.; FORD, KASSANDRA; FUCHS, JÉRÔME; FUJITA, MATTHEW K.; GOOD, JEFFREY M.; GRE

PLOS BIOLOGY

PUBLIC LIBRARY SCIENCE

Año: 2023 vol. 21

1544-9173

IAnUa :rePcleenatsePceorsnpfiercmtitvhea,tBalylrhneead[1in]gelmevpehlsaasirzeerdeptrheastennatetudrcaolrhreiscttolyry: museums “are essentialhubs for research and education” but that their mission should be reimagined to focus on nonlethalcollecting. We endorse many of the practices advocated by Byrne, including the storageof tissues, recordings, photos, and other data; embracing new technologies such as massivelyparallel DNA sequencing, μCT scanning, and stable isotope analysis; and large-scale digitizationof collections and associated metadata. Indeed, many of these practices are widely used bymuseums today. We also welcome the call to provide stable financial support to maintain andexpand the infrastructure of existing collections. However, we do not support the call to usenew technologies “to replace the need for whole animal bodies.” Byrne’s position overstatesthe potential of new technologies to replace specimen-based research and fails to acknowledgethe importance of whole-organism–based research in building the foundations of modernbiology and in continuing to promote new discoveries.