Join BGE+ in developing a DNA barcoding field guide

01 September 2026

DNA barcoding has reshaped biodiversity research, but it still doesn't come with a manual. Researchers are largely left to figure out best practices on their own, often the hard way. Now, the OPENBAR initiative, part of the BGE+ project, is inviting the community to help fix that: through a live global forum and a detailed survey, both designed to capture what barcoding looks like in practice, not just in theory.

Here's how to get involved:

1. The OPENBAR Interactive Forum

Date & Time: September 15, 14:00-16:00 CET
Format: A fully interactive, two-hour collaborative session designed with no lectures or passive spectators.
Objective: Co-create The DNA Barcoding Field Guide, capturing essential principles, proven workflows, and common pitfalls.
Target Audience: Anyone actively involved in DNA barcoding who wants to share what works, what fails, and what newcomers need to know.
Registration: Join the Forum Session

2. The BGE+ Community Survey

Focus: Ground-truth data on lab reality - covering funding, staffing, wet-lab protocols, equipment, and automation.
Tech Coverage: Insights on platforms including Oxford Nanopore, Illumina, PacBio, and associated bioinformatics pipelines.
Key Goal: Identifying operational pain points to pinpoint what tools, infrastructure, and support the community truly needs.
Target Audience: Bench scientists, technicians, and computational researchers actually doing the work.
Participation: Complete the BGE+ Survey

By pairing live open dialogue with detailed survey data, the organisers aim to produce an open-access field guide rooted in daily lab realities rather than theoretical ideals. Researchers across all career stages are encouraged to register for the forum and submit survey responses. Do it today!

Read more on OPENBAR here: https://biodiversitygenomics.eu/say-hi-to-openbar/

For more information about OPENBAR and general inquiries, please contact Emily Hartop: emily.hartop@ntnu.no