In a landmark collaboration, Colossal Biosciences and Re:wild have joined forces to tackle the global extinction crisis head-on. The partnership was unveiled during a recent virtual discussion moderated by Lindsay Nikole, a zoologist and science communicator on Colossal’s Youth Advisory Board. The conversation, which featured Matt James, chief animal officer at Colossal Biosciences, and Barney Long, senior director of conservation strategies at Re:wild, shed light on how the two organizations seek to revolutionize species conservation by merging cutting-edge de-extinction technology with proven conservation strategies.
Colossal Biosciences, a biotechnology powerhouse based in Dallas, is at the vanguard of applying advanced genetic technologies to conservation. With a team stacked with Ph.D. researchers specializing in genetics, genomics, and cell biology, Colossal is pioneering innovative tools to resurrect extinct species and fortify the populations of those teetering on the brink of extinction.
During the discussion, James declared, “Our mission is to make extinction a relic of the past. By harnessing the power of cutting-edge science, we are developing solutions that can have a profound, tangible impact on species conservation. This partnership with Re:wild allows us to channel our expertise and resources into projects that can make the greatest difference.”
Re:wild, a globally respected conservation organization, brings decades of experience protecting and restoring the planet’s most vulnerable species and ecosystems. Long emphasized the urgency of the partnership in addressing the mounting challenges facing biodiversity.
“When we started talking to Colossal, the idea of using new technologies, bringing in new tools into our toolbox to help these species, looking at those conservation breeding programs and how we can speed them up through some of these technologies or restore lost genes into populations to kind of walk back inbreeding, et cetera, just opens up a huge amount of really exciting possibilities and new tools in our toolkit for saving and recovering endangered species,” said Long.
Colossal Biosciences and Re:wild’s 10-Year Plan
The partnership’s ambitious 10-year plan, as discussed by James and Long, aims to prioritize projects that can deliver the most immediate and profound impact on species conservation. However, the success of these initiatives hinges not only on scientific breakthroughs, but also on the engagement and support of local communities.
“It really starts with the local stakeholders,” said James. “They must be on board, not just on board, but a part of the solution and they must benefit from the solution. So that’s really where projects like that advisory committee are coming in. It’s becoming a model for the way that we’re going to move forward with almost every program that we have.”
The alliance between Colossal Biosciences and Re:wild comes at a critical juncture in the global fight against biodiversity loss. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, over 44,000 species are currently threatened with extinction, representing 28% of all assessed species. This staggering figure underscores the urgent need for innovative solutions and collaborative efforts to stem the tide of species loss.
As the partnership takes shape, the conservation community is watching with keen interest. The prospect of reviving extinct species and bolstering the populations of those on the precipice of disappearance has ignited the imagination of conservationists worldwide.
The partnership’s impact is set to extend far beyond the confines of individual species. By pioneering new technologies and methodologies, Colossal Biosciences and Re:wild are laying the groundwork for a new era of conservation — one that is proactive, adaptive, and deeply rooted in the power of collaboration.
“One of the things that we’re really troubled with, which is a great problem to have, is that we have so many different potential projects that we could focus on so many ways that we could apply our technologies in a meaningful way to species in need,” said James. “But that becomes a prioritization challenge. And Re:wild is one of the leading organizations in the world when it comes to conservation planning and implementation.
“And so early on we identified Re:wild as someone that we should be aligned with, somebody that we could work closely with in order to provide guidance for how we can leverage technologies in the most meaningful way for nature. And so my first few conversations with Barney were really exciting. It’s sort of kid in the candy store stuff when we start talking about where could we go with these things, what are the dreams we both have for species?”
As the world grapples with the accelerating loss of biodiversity, the alliance between Colossal Biosciences and Re:wild offers hope. Their bold vision and unwavering commitment to species conservation serve as a clarion call for all those who refuse to accept extinction as an inevitability.
As the partnership embarks on its groundbreaking journey, the eyes of the world are upon them. With their combined expertise, passion, and determination, Colossal Biosciences and Re:wild are poised to reshape the landscape of conservation and offer a lifeline to countless species that were once thought lost forever. The future of biodiversity hangs in the balance, and this remarkable collaboration, as illuminated by the recent discussion moderated by Lindsay Nikole, may just be the key to tipping the scales in favor of life.
Said James, “Barney and I sat down with our teams and in really an amazingly short period of time, we’re able to hammer out a 10-year conservation plan for how we think Colossal and Re:wild should be behaving in the conservation space and what species we could impact. And so I think that was really a testament for what a strong partnership we have and how much alignment there is between our two organizations.”
