Vision

CBOL and BOLI share the same basic vision:

Developing DNA barcoding as a global standard for species identification

CBOL's Mission

CBOL works with its international partners to catalyze:

  • The creation of a public database of barcode reference sequences linked to voucher specimens and associated biological information;
  • The formation of barcoding projects that will contribute an accelerating flow of barcode records into the public database;
  • The solution of technical, logistical, and structural problems encountered by researchers and users in the Barcode of Life Initiative;
  • The development of new technologies that will make DNA barcoding faster, more accurate, more portable, and less expensive;
  • The involvement of researchers and users of barcode data from all regions of the world, especially those with high biodiversity;
  • The development of intellectual activity involving DNA barcode data in the wider academic community among diverse users throughout society;
  • Greater awareness of DNA barcoding beyond taxonomic researchers; and
  • The use of barcode data for the benefit of science and society.

CBOL's Strategy

The CBOL Secretariat will pursue its mission by identifying and catalyzing international partnerships among the following stakeholders in barcoding:

  • The Taxonomic Community: Natural history museums, herbaria, zoos, aquaria, and universities, and the taxonomists that work therein;
  • The User Community: Governmental and intergovernmental agencies, conservation organizations and other NGOs, private sector companies, and other organizations that use taxonomic information in pursuit of their applied missions;
  • The Service Community: Research organizations and private sector companies in the areas of genetics, bioinformatics, and biotechnology that can provide services to barcoding projects and the Barcode Initiative; and
  • The Funding Community: Public and private foundations, governmental and intergovernmental agencies and other organizations that support basic and applied research.

The Access and Benefits Sharing Brochure is a document that can be used by scientists to explain the process of DNA barcoding and its benefits to local government officials.

The CBOL Secretariat will pursue its mission through the following goals for 2007.

  • Accelerate the growth of reference libraries for ABBI and FISH-BOL;
  • Construct most of the reference libraries for tephritid fruit flies and mosquitoes;
  • " Hold a successful Second International Barcode Conference in Taipei, Taiwan, on 17-19 September 2007;
  • Engage the communities involved in species conservation and invasive species in BOLI;
  • Engage biotech instrument developers in efforts to create more portable, faster, cheaper barcoding equipment and processes.