Biodiversity Biobanks South Africa

Happy #WorldCitiesDay! Did you know: there are biodiversity biobanks all over South Africa, from the biggest cities to the most rural areas to the wilds of our national parks. Wherever there's biodiversity, there's a BBSA biobank. Come meet some of them: bbsa.org.za/meet-the-bioba…

[READ] Happy #WorldBiodiversityDay! South Africa is a megadiverse country, with thousands of interesting and unique plant, animal and microbial species. But how can biobanks help protect that diversity? And why should we care? bbsa.org.za/2023/06/05/bio…

𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹! As South Africa prepares to host the International Day for Biological Diversity 2026 Global Flagship Event tomorrow, we recognise the vital role communities play in protecting our ecosystems and safeguarding the country’s rich biodiversity heritage for future generations. From local action to global impact, every effort counts in building a sustainable and nature-positive future. #NBSAP #BiodiversityDay #LocalAction #ForNature #KMGBF #PeopleAndNature

South Africa has over 1,000 native bee species. You have probably never heard of most of them. The honeybee gets all the credit but it's the native miners, carpenters, and sweat bees working quietly through the fynbos that hold much of this country's pollination together. One in three mouthfuls of food exists because a bee visited a flower at the right moment. That is not a fun fact. That is infrastructure. This World Bee Day, take a moment for the bee you have never heard of, on the flower you have never seen, doing work the world cannot afford to lose. #WorldBeeDay #SouthAfricanBees #Pollinators

Every laboratory and biobank can be a part of building a more sustainable future for our planet and communities. In our recent webinar hosted by International Society for Biological and Environmental Repositories (ISBER) My Green Lab's Director of Communications Christina Greever-Wilson dives into tangible, data-driven solutions for reducing the environmental impact of scientific research, and suggestions pertaining to energy efficiency and sustainable procurement. Watch it here: youtube.com/watch?v=yhfZOR… Biobanks can leverage the #FreezerChallenge competition today as a starting point for working toward greater efficiency in their operations. Learn more and register for the challenge here: freezerchallenge.mygreenlab.org

[REGISTER NOW] Interested in taxonomy? Want to delve into biodiversity informatics around the world? Registration is still open for Taxon Works Together, a three-day perspective on describing life - and it's *free*. But hurry - #TWT2026 starts today! together.taxonworks.org

REMINDER: Don’t forget to submit your comments on the published Draft Natural Scientific Professions Bill, 2026 by May 31. Access the bill and submission info here: shorturl.at/lSfbR #DSTI #SACNASP

Happy #PlantHealthDay! Fun fact: plants are pretty important. They help provide us with foods, with medicines, with essential ecosystem functions - even the air we breathe. Here’s how biodiversity biobanks can help them keep doing their job… bbsa.org.za/2026/05/12/why…

Reminder: The NRF is inviting all current NRF-funded Doctoral Students, Postdoctoral Fellows and Early Career Researchers to submit applications (and abstracts) for the 2026 NRF Next Generation and Emerging Researchers Symposium. Full details here: nrf.ac.za/the-2026-nrf-n…

Happy #WorkersDay! Today we celebrate the many hardworking people who make biodiversity biobanking in South Africa possible - from rangers to researchers, whether working with fish, flowers or fungi, we couldn't do it without them. People like... bbsa.org.za/meet-the-membe…

[READ] For @IMBM_Lab_UWC Technical Officer Stephanie Lawrence, being selected for the BIODATA Advanced DNA Lab meant more than improving her technical skills - it also gave her the chance to think creatively about interesting #biobanking questions. bbsa.org.za/2026/03/30/bio…

Day 1 at #ISBER2026 kicked off with a vibrant lion dance and an inspiring keynote on AI-driven biobanking. 26 talks + 15 flash presentations showcased global innovation. We celebrated this year’s award recipients (coming soon). Hosted at the impressive BGI Centre. More to come!

Happy #EarthDay! There are some challenges that are too big for just one country - things like poverty, climate change, education, inequality. So how can biodiversity biobanks help tackle these big challenges - and make the world a better place? bbsa.org.za/2023/06/05/bio…

The NRF’s 2027 Master’s and Doctoral Funding call is available here: nrf.ac.za/dsti-nrf-postg… It is compulsory for applicants to consult the NRF’s official documents (Framework, Application, and FAQ Guides) before posting queries or submitting applications.

Reminder: The NRF and the FirstRand Empowerment Foundation invite applications for the 2027 NRF-FREF Black Academics Advancement Programme (BAAP). Full details are available on the NRF's website here: nrf.ac.za/funding/nrf-ca… Deadline: 15 April 2026

[READ] In a groundbreaking study, researchers from the @UFSweb Yeast Culture Collection have identified the South African brown locust as a natural reservoir for a problematic pathogen: the deadly, drug-resistant yeast Candida auris. bbsa.org.za/2026/02/16/bio…

7 in 10 SA scientists are multilingual – using those languages could bring science to life for everyone. #SDG3 #SDG4 #SDG5 #SDG8 #SDG10 ‘@saahier ‘@MichaelGastrow doi.org/10.17159/sajs.…

Meet the speakers leading the conversation at the SA-IYRP webinar, hosted by the Agricultural Research Council in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture. 📅 30 March 2026 | 🕙 10:00–13:00 🔗 Join via the Teams link provided: teams.microsoft.com/meet/380191926…

⏳ Last chance to join! The My Green Lab webinar on a sustainable future for biobanks and labs is happening tomorrow, March 25 at: > 9 AM PDT > 12 PM EDT > 5 PM CET 📌 Free registration: ow.ly/Nkt950Ys7MP

What does it take to scale African biodiversity genomics in an African-led, Africa-based way? 🌍🧬 The Africa BioGenome Project releases a roadmap for building capacity, strengthening data sovereignty, and supporting fair benefit sharing🤝 📚press release: lnkd.in/gNpWA536