Theresa's Biotech / Biomedical Blog
"Barcoding" Project Applies Biotechnology for Species ID
An international species barcoding project is underway in an effort to find ways to instantly identify different species based on short DNA sequences in specfic regions of the genetic code. In a press release by the University of Guelph, it was announced that the headquarters for this international project will be the Biodiversity Institute of Ontario (BIO), located at UG.
The International Barcode of Life (iBOL) project will involve over 100 researchers from at least 25 countries, once it is fully underway. Research being done as part of the project will also help generate new technologies for informatics and screening techniques, in addition to enhancing existing methods for cloning and studying genes. The Canadian Barcode of Life Network (BOLNET) is holding a symposium on April 28, 2008, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Those interested in barcoding research for taxonomy in Europe should look to EDIT (European Distributed Institute of Taxonomy) for information. For more info on barcoding and links throughout North America, also check out the Barcode of Life Initiative (BOLi) website.
