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About the Cryopreservation Working Group
About the Cryopreservation Working Group
A coordinated group of individuals, and institutions working to communicate, collaborate and stay informed on the best cryopreservation practices, globally, overall, contributing to the conservation of threatened plant species. This group is coordinated by Valerie Pence (CREW, Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden) and Amy Byrne (The Morton Arboretum).
More about this working group
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Working Group Objectives:
Working Group Objectives:
Recruit institutions and people to join the cryopreservation working group
Host meetings as needed to answer questions, work on projects, and/or provide updates on what everyone is doing in relation to cryopreservation work
Support and/or conduct a training session for those who are interested in learning more about cryopreservation and provide them with the information and resources to get involved
Work together on projects and apply for funding opportunities to support them
Create protocols or manuals where needed and distribute them accordingly for the benefit of the entire Consortium
Annually, evaluate the group’s progress and identify the gaps, understand where the group could have a significant impact and how the GCCO leadership team could help if needed
Past Cryopreservation Working Group Meetings
Past Cryopreservation Working Group Meetings
July 7, 2026: Rainer Vollmer, MSc, International Potato Center: Scaling of Plant Cryopreservation in the Global South
July 7, 2026: Rainer Vollmer, MSc, International Potato Center: Scaling of Plant Cryopreservation in the Global South
January 21, 2026: Dr. Scott Merkle (Professor in the Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources at the University of Georgia): Somatic embryogenesis and cryopreservation for forest tree conservation and restoration
January 21, 2026: Dr. Scott Merkle (Professor in the Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources at the University of Georgia): Somatic embryogenesis and cryopreservation for forest tree conservation and restoration
October 29, 2025: Megan Philpott (CREW, Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden): Somatic embryogenesis and cryopreservation of US oak species | Scott Hyndman (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance): Micropropagation and Cryopreservation of Quercus dumosa at the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
October 29, 2025: Megan Philpott (CREW, Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden): Somatic embryogenesis and cryopreservation of US oak species | Scott Hyndman (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance): Micropropagation and Cryopreservation of Quercus dumosa at the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
May 14, 2025: Vania Pereira (Huntsville Botanical Garden): Somatic embryogenesis from immature inflorescence explants in Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens)
May 14, 2025: Vania Pereira (Huntsville Botanical Garden): Somatic embryogenesis from immature inflorescence explants in Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens)
February 21, 2025: Discussion panel with Paweł Chmielarz (Institute of Dendrology, Polish Academy of Sciences), Raquel Folgado (The Huntington), and Qiansheng Li (Atlanta Botanical Garden) on developing new cryopreservation protocols for a new species
February 21, 2025: Discussion panel with Paweł Chmielarz (Institute of Dendrology, Polish Academy of Sciences), Raquel Folgado (The Huntington), and Qiansheng Li (Atlanta Botanical Garden) on developing new cryopreservation protocols for a new species
September 30, 2024: Gayle Volk (USDA-ARS NLGRP): Dormant Bud Cryopreservation
September 30, 2024: Gayle Volk (USDA-ARS NLGRP): Dormant Bud Cryopreservation
June 13, 2024: Teresa Gonzalez (University of Veracruz): Advancing the science of conservation cryo biotechnology, using oaks as a model for improving the in vitro technologies supporting exceptional plant conservation
June 13, 2024: Teresa Gonzalez (University of Veracruz): Advancing the science of conservation cryo biotechnology, using oaks as a model for improving the in vitro technologies supporting exceptional plant conservation
Febuary 12, 2024: Teresa Hazubska-Przybył (Polish Academy of Sciences): Somatic embryogenesis and cryopreservation of Norway and Serbian spruce embryogenic tissues by stepwise dehydration method | Joe Ree (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance): Cryopreservation of Quercus dumosa
Febuary 12, 2024: Teresa Hazubska-Przybył (Polish Academy of Sciences): Somatic embryogenesis and cryopreservation of Norway and Serbian spruce embryogenic tissues by stepwise dehydration method | Joe Ree (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance): Cryopreservation of Quercus dumosa
September 6, 2023: Megan Philpott (Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden): Oak Cryo Project: Tissue culture initiation and somatic embryogenesis
September 6, 2023: Megan Philpott (Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden): Oak Cryo Project: Tissue culture initiation and somatic embryogenesis
April 4, 2023: Daniel Ballesteros (University of Valencia): The Global Oak Pollen Bank | Valerie Pence (CREW, Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden): Cycad somatic embryogenesis and cryopreservation
April 4, 2023: Daniel Ballesteros (University of Valencia): The Global Oak Pollen Bank | Valerie Pence (CREW, Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden): Cycad somatic embryogenesis and cryopreservation
No meeting recording available.
January 9, 2023: Group discussion
January 9, 2023: Group discussion
No meeting recording available.
September 12, 2022: Max Winkeljohn (University of Cincinnati): Optimizing media to maximize in vitro success
September 12, 2022: Max Winkeljohn (University of Cincinnati): Optimizing media to maximize in vitro success
No meeting recording available.
March 21, 2022: Dr. Urszula Wasileńczyk (Kostrzyca Forest Gene Bank) Cryopreservation of Quercus petraea plumules in The Kostrzyca Forest Gene Bank | Valerie Pence (Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden CREW): Exceptional Species List
March 21, 2022: Dr. Urszula Wasileńczyk (Kostrzyca Forest Gene Bank) Cryopreservation of Quercus petraea plumules in The Kostrzyca Forest Gene Bank | Valerie Pence (Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden CREW): Exceptional Species List
No meeting recording available.
January 11, 2022: Elena Corredoira (Galician Agrobiological Research Institute): Cryopreservation of somatic embryos of oak species | Valerie Pence (CREW, Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden): Advancing the ex situ conservation of cycads: evaluating the requirements for somatic embryo initiation from leaf tissue
January 11, 2022: Elena Corredoira (Galician Agrobiological Research Institute): Cryopreservation of somatic embryos of oak species | Valerie Pence (CREW, Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden): Advancing the ex situ conservation of cycads: evaluating the requirements for somatic embryo initiation from leaf tissue
No meeting recording available.
September 13, 2021: Paweł Chmielarz (Institute of Dendrology, Polish Academy of Sciences): Oak cryopreservation | Raquel Folgado (The Huntginton): Magnolia cryopreservation
September 13, 2021: Paweł Chmielarz (Institute of Dendrology, Polish Academy of Sciences): Oak cryopreservation | Raquel Folgado (The Huntginton): Magnolia cryopreservation
No meeting recording available.
June 21, 2021: Valerie Pence (CREW, Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden): Shoot tips cryopreservation
June 21, 2021: Valerie Pence (CREW, Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden): Shoot tips cryopreservation
No meeting recording available.
March 10, 2021: Daniel Ballesteros (University of Valencia)
March 10, 2021: Daniel Ballesteros (University of Valencia)
No meeting recording available.
November 30, 2020: Overview of the Global Conservation Consortium for Oaks
November 30, 2020: Overview of the Global Conservation Consortium for Oaks
No meeting recording available.
September 1, 2020: Inaugural meeting: group discussion on working group goals and objectives
September 1, 2020: Inaugural meeting: group discussion on working group goals and objectives
No meeting recording available.
Resources
Resources
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