Recognising the need for a dedicated forum to address marine-specific challenges and support their operational use, JNCC established the UK Marine Biomolecular Group (UK MBG) in 2024. The UK MBG provides a forum to address marine-specific challenges with a focus on:
- The uptake and operationalisation of biomolecular techniques for marine monitoring in the UK
- Collaboration and knowledge sharing, amongst members and feeding into external groups where appropriate.
Timeline
Purpose, Scope and Aims
The purpose of UKMBG is to share updates on work related to the development and application of biomolecular techniques for marine monitoring, to identify and prioritise gaps in our knowledge base and to seek work collaboratively to fill these with the potential for collaborative funding bids to develop resource.
The group will focus on operationalising biomolecular methods in the UK, although this does not prohibit the group working from or on projects outside the UK from joining. Within the scope of this group biomolecular is defined as including environmental DNA and RNA (eDNA/eRNA) and ‘omics (DNA, RNA and protein).
This group will work independently and feed into external groups such as the Healthy and Biologically Diverse Seas Evidence Group (HBDSEG) and the UK DNA working group.
The group will work together to achieve the following objectives:
- To support coordination of the development and application of marine biomolecular work across the UK, mapping what is being done and the roles, interests and goals of various institutions.
- Identify and prioritise knowledge and data gaps and seek opportunities to fill these.
- Review the UK DNA Benthic Action Plan and prioritise actions to address
- To develop best practice and/or peer reviewing system of DNA methodologies and produce mechanisms of validating methods more quickly.
- Work with the NE Atlantic Marine Biological Analytical Quality Control (NMBAQC) to develop guidelines
- Review of existing and emerging technologies for sample acquisition
- To advocate for and promote biomolecular approaches for marine monitoring, conservation and management.
- Work collaboratively to seek opportunities to promote marine DNA approaches within organisations and more widely.
- Raise the profile of the potential role for the application of molecular approaches for the purpose of marine conservation and management.
Governance and Structure
Chair: JNCC
Coordination of the group is managed by JNCC, who acts as Chair and Secretariat. This role is currently funded by the Defra Marine and Fisheries R&D Fund.
Membership of the group is open to UK Government organisations, research institutes and universities. Membership is not currently open to private or commercial companies; however, they may be invited to present on topics of interest or join task and finish groups as appropriate. JNCC holds membership contact details in compliance with JNCC’s privacy policy.
Meetings are held 3 times a year, taking place online through Teams, with the option of one in-person meeting per year if appropriate. The group will look to engage with other relevant groups to stay informed, promote and disseminate the work of the group, avoid duplication and encourage collaboration.
If you are interested in joining the group, please contact the secretariat on UKMBG@jncc.gov.uk
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