More than a 1,000 researchers worldwide have already signed the DSI Scientific Network’s Open Letter, calling for open & equitable sharing of genetic sequence data from. You are wondering why this might be important to you?

A short summary by the DSI Scientific Network, orgnaized by Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures GmbH:

“In March 2022, negotiations on Digital Sequence Information (DSI) and benefit sharing will resume among Parties to the Convention on Biodiversity as they work to reach agreement on the new Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, which sets new goals and aims to transform society’s relationship with biodiversity. The scientific community is the primary generator and user of DSI. The outcome of these negotiations will therefore shape our ability to use DSI and generate research that helps move forward sustainable development, protect biodiversity and address global health crises. Given the importance of DSI to our work, it is essential that our perspectives, expertise and experience be included in considerations of different approaches to benefit sharing for DSI. DSI is used by researchers in a wide of contexts including for studying and monitoring biodiversity, understanding ecosystem impacts from climate change, improving crops, developing new medicines, and tracking the spread and evolution of new infectious diseases. Access to DSI is therefore crucial to research supporting many of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. A wide range of organizations and experts have called for DSI policy solutions that provide equitable benefit-sharing through multilateral mechanisms that protect open access DSI.” Source and more information

We highly support this initiative and want to invite all researchers to sign the DSI ScientificNetwork’s Open Letter to ensure good research in the future.