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BE-RBINS Passport Facilities

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Facilities
The OD Taxonomy and Phylogeny (OD T&Ph) disposes of standard taxonomic infrastructure including microscopes, stereomicroscopes, equipment for high-resolution macrophotography, and equipment for the preparation of tissue slides (ultramicrotome, devices for cryogenic preparations). There is also an Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope with dedicated technical support by members of the OD T&Ph (use is to be booked in advance). The OD T&Ph is responsible for the “Laboratory for Molecular Systematics (LMS)” which is an “open” research infrastructure that focuses on the application of DNA markers in taxonomic, population genetic and phylogenetic research. The core of this facility is an ABI 3130 capillary DNA sequencer. In addition, the facility is equipped with, amongst others, seven PCR thermocyclers (two of which can implement temperature gradients), five centrifuges, an Agilent BioAnalyzer 2100, a nanodrop spectrophotometer, a Qubit 2.0 fluorometer, two fume hoods, a laminar flow, six set-ups for horizontal DNA electrophoresis (agarose), a gene flash bio imaging system, a Machery-Nagel DNA purification set-up, an autoclave, 10 fridges, 20 freezers, five ultrafreezers (-80 °C), two portable dry-shipping nitrogen containers and a GeneVault DNA storage archive. This infrastructure allows for a wide variety of DNA marker analyses, though most applications involve nucleotide sequencing and microsatellite genotyping. Completely separated (i.e. on a different floor) from the DNA facility, there is a small “Archival DNA Room” dedicated to the extraction and handling of degraded DNA (e.g. “old” DNA). This room is equipped with programmable UV-light, positive air pressure, a sterile working chamber and a microcentrifuge.

Founded in 1846, RBINS houses a diverse and exceptionally rich zoological collection, palaeoanthropological and mineralogical collections and prehistoric items involving ca. 38,000,000 specimens with ca. 100,000 primary types. This places RBINS among the world top ten collections in terms of volume of specimen stored and available for research. The mollusc collection includes some 9,000,000 specimens representing 45,000 species and is ranked among the world top five. The RBINS scientific library is one of the largest documentary resources of NH in Belgium. It offers 695,368 volumes. The Filing Cabinet owns about 35,000 geographical, hydrological and geological maps. The unique Dautzenberg collection contains rare volumes concerning conchology.

A suite of equipment is available for scanning collections objects. The data and references are recorded in a common management tool developed by RBINS ICT service. Research supported by the infrastructure: Research focuses on the study of biodiversity through taxonomy and phylogeny in all animal groups (extant and fossils). RBINS staff also studies the land, fresh water and marine ecosystems, the history of life, of the climate and of human installations, plus, mechanisms involved in the evolution of life along with the geology of Belgium and modelling of the North Sea. In addition, RBINS develops tools and methods for monitoring natural land or marine environments. It also offers useful advice for the development of national and European policies for the protection and conservation of biotopes and biodiversity and serves as Belgium’s National Focal Point to the Global Taxonomy Initiative.
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