Celebrating 10 years of the UKEOF DNA Working Group

 

  • UKDNA-WG Chair: Andy Nisbet (Natural England)
  • Secretariat Lead: Dan Read
  • UKDNA-WG support: Laia Rovira-Craven (Scottish Environment Protection Agency)

DNA has a range of potentially valuable applications in environmental monitoring, from detecting rare or invasive species through to characterising whole communities. This provides major opportunities to improve both the comprehensiveness and the efficiency of monitoring. Because the technology is evolving rapidly, translating this potential into practice requires good links between researchers and end-users in government and other organisations.

The UKEOF, through the UK DNA Working Group (UKDNA-WG), facilitates dialogue and collaboration by providing a forum for the wide community of government agencies, academics and other stakeholders to discuss priorities and emerging developments in the use of DNA for environmental monitoring.

Our role

The UK DNA Working Group aims to:

  1. Link researchers, developers of DNA-based monitoring methods, and end users to ensure that activities are focussed on meeting priority information needs and that knowledge is transferred effectively within the wider community
  2. Support and encourage best practice and the development of standards for using DNA-based species monitoring methods
  3. Engage and work collaboratively with others nationally and internationally, seeking opportunities to influence research, share best practice and facilitate re-use of samples and data
  4. Increase awareness of where and how DNA-based methods can help improve the effectiveness of environmental monitoring.

Want to find out about UKDNA-WG activities?

To be informed about forthcoming UKDNA-WG events and other activities, we recommend that you subscribe to this dedicated mailing list.

UKDNA-WG structure

The diagram below shows the structure of the UKDNA-WG.

UKDNA Working Group structure diagram (text description at end of page)



The Working Group is managed by the UKDNA Steering Committee, which in turn is guided by the UKEOF Management Group. The UKDNA-WG chair (Andy Nisbet of Natural England) sits on the UKEOF Management Group.

The UKDNA-WG engages the wider community (or UKDNA Network) on areas of work or planned events. Members of the wider network receives correspondence on upcoming events and activities as well as the opportunity to feedback ideas and suggestions.

The UK DNA End Users Group is a subset of the UK DNA Working Group involving representatives of UK environmental and conservation agencies.

Annual UKDNA-WG conferences

The UKDNA-WG has held an annual conference since 2014. Programmes from past UKDNA-WG conferences are available below:

Outputs

  • Handley, L. L., et al (2023). UK DNA working group eDNA week, January 2022. Environmental DNA, 5, 18-24. https://doi.org/10.1002/edn3.364
  • Harper, R.L. et al (2019). Prospects and challenges of environmental DNA (eDNA) monitoring in freshwater ponds. Hydrobiologia 826(1), 25-41. DOI: 10.1007/s10750-018-3750-5
  • UK DNA Working Group eDNA Webinar Week, 17-21 January 2022
    Event coordinated by our UK DNA Working Group
    Recordings
    Report - Published in the journal Environmental DNA

Member organisations

If you would like to get involved or find out more information please contact the secretariat on office@ukeof.org.uk.

Current UKDNA-WG steering committee:

Terms of Reference

Description of figure on this page

The figure on this page is a diagram showing how the UK DNA Working Group is structured.

At the top is the UKEOF Management Group.

A vertical line coloured to indicate 'governance' connects the UKEOF Management Group to the UKDNA Steering Committee.

To the left of the Steering Committee is the UKDNA network. To the right is the UKDNA End Users Group. These link to the Steering Committee with lines representing 'communication'.

Below the Steering Committee is a box labelled 'Task & Finish Groups'. This box is joined to the Steering Committee via a 'governance' line.

A grey rectangle indicates that the UKDNA Working Group comprises: the Steering Committee, the UKDNA network, the End Users Group and the Task & Finish groups.

[End of figure description]