Research project IM/RT/23/BopCo-CE (Research action IM)
Accurate species identification of biological material is required to assess and understand biodiversity and ecosystems, but also to implement, for example, existing animal and plant trade regulations, to prevent infectious disease outbreaks, to screen the food chain, or to deploy agricultural pest control programs. In response to the recurrent societal need for reliable species identifications of biological specimens and products of socio-economic relevance, the Barcoding Facility for Organisms and Tissues of Policy Concern (BopCo) was established in 2015 within the framework of the EU RI LifeWatch. BopCo, recently evolved into a BELSPO-financed Centre of Expertise (CE). BopCo-CE focusses on identifying biological material, which includes (but is not limited to): Invasive Alien Species (IAS), CITES-listed species, agricultural and horticultural pest species, human and veterinary disease organisms (including parasites) and their vectors, organisms of the food chain, species of forensic interest, quarantine species, indicator and sentinel species (e.g., ecotoxicological test species), species of hygienic concern, species of pharmaceutical importance, species with economic impacts, species that damage or pose risks to human infrastructures and activities, and beneficial species (e.g., biological pest control, pollinators).
The project is run jointly by the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS) and the Royal Museum for Central Africa (RMCA). Being based at these two Federal Research Institutions (FIs), allows BopCo-CE to access a broad expertise and infrastructure for species identifications, including major scientific equipment, networks, and knowhow, such as fully equipped DNA laboratories, (stereo)microscopy infrastructure (including SEM), µCT scanners, natural history collections, high-resolution photographic equipment, libraries, experimental knowledge, and taxonomic expertise. In this way, species identifications can rely on the traditional morphology-based taxonomic know-how and unique specimen collections available at both FIs in combination with DNA-based methods and a network of external experts. DNA-based methods are especially useful when morphological identifications are difficult or impossible (e.g., early life stages, processed food items, cryptic species, degraded or fragmented specimens).
Since its establishment BopCo-CE has grown significantly in users, partners and expertise. The growing demand for accurate species identification of organisms of policy concern drives BopCo-CE to foster new opportunities, to expand collaborations and partnerships in Belgium and internationally.
Against the increasing recurrent need for species identifications, the objectives are centred along three inter-related axes (i) the exploration and implementation of new species identification tools resulting from recent technological innovations (e.g., eDNA, Next Generation and Oxford Nanopore Sequencing, qPCR), (ii) the development of a comprehensive federal unit covering the identification of a broad range of policy concern organisms through a synergistic and collaborative work with other institutional units providing complementary identification services, and (iii) the upgrading of BopCo-CE's virtual and physical communication tools (e.g., renewed website, folders, social and public media). Altogether, these improvements will allow to expand the offer and increase the visibility, as well as the sustainability and end-user base of the facility, which will further increase the impact of BopCo-CE by helping to mitigate urgent societal challenges (e.g., policy support, societal service, law enforcement).
