The Museum of Southwestern Biology (MSB) is a research natural history collection at the University of New Mexico. The museum consists of seven divisions (Amphibians and Reptiles, Arthropods, Birds, Fishes, Genomic Resources, Herbarium, Mammals, and Parasites) and the Natural Heritage New Mexico program. Specimens span the last 120 years and represent biodiversity change across the globe (primarily western North America, Central and South America, but with significant holdings from Asia, Africa, Australia and Europe).

Web-accessible archives and databases contribute to applied efforts in conservation as well as theoretical advances related to unraveling the complexity of planetary life and related ecosystem function on local, regional, and global scales. Active research and graduate programs build comprehensive and integrated collections and then explore the breadth and depth of these samples and data. MSB Curators, Collection Managers, and an army of students strive to make these valuable collections accessible to UNM, to the broader scientific community, and to the general public.

The MSB is heavily involved with municipal, state and federal agencies. MSB has built a strong tradition in the public health arena in efforts related to identifying zoonotic pathogens and understanding the ecology of zoonotic diseases and wildlife diseases in the western US. International organizations also rely on MSB collection data and expertise to help them design and implement public health initiatives.

MSB Division of Genomic Resources

The Museum of Southwestern Biology (MSB), Division of Genomic Resources (DGR) is a centralized repository at the University of New Mexico (UNM) for cryogenic biological materials submitted from MSB divisions at the University of New Mexico and from other individuals and institutions worldwide. The MSB DGR collection archives cryogenically preserved samples of animal tissues, whole organisms such as embryos and parasites, and purified DNA and RNA for the MSB divisions of Mammals, Birds, Fishes, Herpetology, and Parasitology. The MSB DGR collection contains over 500,000 cryogenic samples of more than 250,000 specimens and 3,000 species, representing Mammals (92%), Birds (4%), Reptiles (1%), Fishes (1%), and a growing collection of associated endo- and ectoparasites (2%). The collection spans more than 30 countries, with particularly strong holdings from the Southwestern United States, Beringia, and Latin America. Tissues and museum specimens can be located online bysearching the Arctos collections database at https://arctosdb.org for each of the MSB divisions.

Collection Coverage

Usage restrictions

All records are the property of Museum of Southwestern Biology, but may be used as per creative commons (CC BY-NC). See https://msb.unm.edu/divisions/genomics/the-collection/tissue-loan-policy.html

Access rights

All records are the property of Museum of Southwestern Biology, but may be used as per creative commons (CC BY-NC). See https://msb.unm.edu/divisions/genomics/the-collection/tissue-loan-policy.html

Curation details

McGinley Conservation statuses

Institution Codes

Rights

All records are the property of Museum of Southwestern Biology, but may be used as per creative commons (CC BY-NC). See https://msb.unm.edu/divisions/genomics/the-collection/tissue-loan-policy.html