Transitioning morphobank to a sustainable, permanent home for phenotypic data in phylogenetics research

Phoenix Bioinformatics Corporation was awarded a $617,216 Project Grant from the National Science Foundation Division of Biological Infrastructure. The grant aims to transition MorphoBank to a sustainable, permanent home for phenotypic data in phylogenetics research from July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2024.

Under the Biological Sciences program (CFDA 47.074), the company will ensure long-term curation and access to MorphoBank, a digital library of specimen images and data used by evolutionary biologists worldwide. By establishing MorphoBank as an independent non-profit organization, Phoenix Bioinformatics will provide over 15 years of phenotypic data to support research into major problems in biology. The $617,216 in funding will support transitioning the platform's infrastructure, staffing a director position, and ensuring ongoing sustainability of the valuable data resource.