Coral Cryopreservation Training Course

Welcome to the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute's training course on how to cryopreserve coral sperm. This virtual training workshop was put together to help professionals around the world cryopreserve the coral sperm from their own reefs. This is intended to be an introduction and a primer on how to get started.

Many professionals who have previous experience may find the training modules completely self-explanatory. However, others may need help. Please do not hesitate to contact either Mary Hagedorn, Ph.D, (hagedornm@si.edu) or Claire Lager (lagerc@si.edu) if you need additional assistance.

Before you begin the cryopreservation process, you must have the liquid nitrogen storage to maintain these important genetic resources. Therefore, make prior plans to have long-term storage in a cryo-repository to hold your cryopreserved coral samples. If properly stored, these samples can survive for tens of years.

Once you have successfully cryopreserved and thawed your samples, Hagedorn and her team would love to hear more about your samples and species of interest, so they can be added to the global list of cryopreserved coral. Best of luck!

An underwater photo of a large, elkhorn coral surrounded by smaller corals in shallow waters off the coast of Curacao

Introduction

This module introduces coral sperm cryopreservation. The lessons include an overview of the online training and why sperm cryopreservation is needed for coral conservation. It also introduces the people behind the process and some basic concepts of cryobiology.

Open Training

Planning Ahead

This module introduces some of the considerations that should be addressed before undertaking coral sperm cryopreservation. The lessons include an overview of the protocol, instructions on key equipment and reagents needed for the process, and an introduction to permitting requirements.

Open Training

An underwater photo of a large, colorful elkhorn coral with many branches that resemble the antlers of an elk. Other large corals can be seen in the background.

Sample Collection

This module introduces some of the complexities involved in collecting coral gametes for cryopreservation. The lessons include an overview of coral spawning and timing, instructions and tips for collecting coral gametes, and procedures for assessing sample quality.

Open Training

An underwater photo of a bustling coral full of various colorful species of coral and fish

Freezing Process

This module introduces the steps involved in coral sperm cryopreservation. The lessons include instructions on preparing samples, as well as freezing, thawing, and assessing sample quality after cryopreservation.

Open Training

Continue Exploring

A whiteboard from a scenario planning workshop with x-and-y graphs with axes representing "political will" and "population size" and colorful dots added to sections

Case Study: Scenario Planning in Northwestern Virginia

Case Study: Land Use Modeling in Northwestern Virginia

A researcher stands among tall trees in a sunlit forest in Virginia.

Changing Landscapes Initiative

Smithsonian scientists work alongside community members in Northwestern Virginia to evaluate the impacts of land-use change on wildlife, ecosystem services and community health.

Coral Biobank Alliance

Smithsonian scientists are part of the Coral Biobank Alliance, a global network of coral experts preserving corals for restoration and research.

Coral Cryopreservation Training Course

An underwater photo of a coral reef with a large coral in the foreground surrounded by smaller corals and fish swimming in the distance

Coral Species Cryopreserved with Global Collaborators

View a list of the coral species that have been cryopreserved using a technique developed by Smithsonian scientists.

Herd of wildebeest grazing on an open grassy plain with one tree

Wildebeest Conservation

Conservation Ecology Center scientists are tracking the movements of white-bearded wildebeest to understand how changes across the landscape impact the species.

A small bird called a piping plover stands on a sandy shore

Protecting Piping Plovers in the Great Lakes

In 2022, the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center will begin a new research project to help protect endangered piping plovers from predation by merlins.

A swift fox wearing a tracking collar is released at Ft. Belknap

Swift Fox Recovery

Smithsonian scientists, in collaboration with the Fort Belknap Fish and Wildlife Department, are embarking on a five-year swift fox reintroduction project to restore swift foxes to tribal lands and to help reestablish connectivity between disjointed swift fox populations.

A large leafy tree growing adjacent to a body of water, with cattle grazing in the grass underneath its canopy

Conserving the World’s Largest Working Wetland

Conservation Ecology Center researchers are collaborating with institutions in Brazil and other Smithsonian colleagues to support sustainable cattle ranching in the Pantanal wetland.