

Coral
cryopreservation
Chiahsin Lin, Ph.D.
Over the past decade, coral cryopreservation research has advanced rapidly due to the field’s inter-disciplinary approach, whereby concepts and technologies from cryogenic biology, nano-engineering, and cellular biochemistry have been combined. Cryopreservation of coral gametes, larvae, and their dinoflagellate endosymbionts has been under continuous development, and the resulting publications have gathered the attention of conservationists across the globe. In this talk, I will present the progress in this field, with a particular emphasis on 1) understanding the factors required for successful cryopreservation and 2) optimizing cryopreservation protocols for different cell/tissue types. We advocate, at a minimum, 1) reducing cryo-injury (i.e., ice crystal formation) and 2) optimizing freezing techniques, for developing successful cryopreservation protocols for coral gametes, tissues, larvae, and the endosymbiotic dinoflagellates that reside within the tissues of all reef-building corals.