Greeting from Congress President
Since its establishment in 2018, the Environmental DNA Society has been dedicated to advancing environmental DNA (eDNA) as a scientific field that contributes to the sustainable use of ecosystems and environmental conservation. Over the past decade, eDNA has rapidly evolved through the collaboration of researchers and practitioners from diverse disciplines, including ecology, genetics, physics, chemistry, engineering, and information science.
Today, eDNA is moving beyond its role as a research method and is increasingly being applied in real-world contexts. It is now used in biodiversity monitoring, environmental impact assessment, public policy, industry, and even citizen science. We believe that we are at a pivotal moment, where eDNA is transitioning from a scientific tool to a form of social infrastructure that supports how we observe and understand nature.
With this perspective in mind, the 9th Annual Meeting of the Environmental DNA Society (Sendai Conference) is organized under the theme:
“Envisioning Environmental DNA as Social Infrastructure”
At this meeting, we aim to explore the future of eDNA from multiple angles, including the development of global observation networks, advances in standardization and data infrastructure, and pathways toward implementation in society. In particular, we will highlight international initiatives such as ANEMONE Global and share emerging efforts that connect science with real-world applications.
The conference will be held in Sendai, a city where rich natural environments coexist with vibrant urban and academic activities. We hope that bringing together researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and industry partners in this setting will foster new collaborations and ideas for the next stage of eDNA development.
We warmly welcome your participation and look forward to an inspiring and productive meeting together.