Project title: Establishing the Global Coral Cryopreservation Network
Project lead: Mary Hagedorn
Nations involved: USA, Mexico, Australia, Curacao
Supporting institutions: Smithsonian Institution, Multiplier and CARMABI Foundation, Taronga Conservation Society, The Florida Aquarium, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
Total budget: $1,459,922
Duration: 24 months
Cryopreservation – the freezing of cells and tissues – provides a safe and long-term storage solution for coral tissue samples, which can then be used for research, conservation, and restoration efforts for years to come. This project will establish a global coral cryopreservation network, a living ‘bio-bank’, acting as the launch of a decade-long effort to create permanent coral biorepositories that will ensure biopreservation of coral genetic diversity on a global scale.