Conference “Collectomics: Ethical Mobilisation of Natural History Collections for Biodiversity Research”

13 10 2025

The University of Warsaw Herbarium, led by Dr Kamil E. Frankiewicz and Dr Maja Graniszewska, invites participants to the international conference “Collectomics: Ethical Mobilisation of Natural History Collections for Biodiversity Research”, dedicated to collectomics – a new interdisciplinary field of research focused on natural history collections.

The event will take place from 10 to 14 November 2025 at the Biological and Chemical Research Centre of the University of Warsaw, Żwirki i Wigury 101, Warsaw. The main talks and discussions are scheduled for 12-13 November. The conference will be held in a hybrid format, with participation possible both in person and online via livestream. Attendance is free of charge.

Collectomics is an emerging field that integrates and analyses information derived from natural history collections – from the physical specimen (photographs, scans, microimages), through specimen-associated data (traditional labels, field notes, environmental information, ethnobotanical knowledge), to molecular data (DNA sequences, metabolite profiles). This approach transforms collections from static assemblages of physical objects into dynamic systems of information that support research on climate change, biodiversity loss, species evolution and environmental history. Collectomics promotes open data, collaboration across institutions, and the dissemination of natural history knowledge.

The conference will provide an opportunity to discuss three key aspects of working with natural history collections: effective collection management, research applications, and the legal and ethical dimensions of collection-based work.

Invited speakers:

• Marcelo Pace (Director, National Herbarium of Mexico)
• María Alejandra Jaramillo (President, Latin American Botanical Society)
• Sebastian Gebauer (Curator, Senckenberg Herbarium; one of the pioneers of collectomics)
• Carmen Marcati (Founder, UNESP Xylotheque)
• Sergei Mosyakin (Director, Institute of Botany, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine; one of the most active contemporary taxonomists)
• and others.

The programme will feature approximately 30-minute presentations, each followed by time for questions and open discussion with the panellists.

Registration is available via the following form: https://forms.gle/nfJJ3ozz2fc9F4KG6

A detailed agenda will be sent to registered participants. The number of in-person seats is limited, and participation will be granted on a first-come, first-served basis.

For any inquiries, please contact the organisers at: herbarium@uw.edu.pl.

We look forward to seeing you!