Colossal Biosciences, a leading company focused on the de-extinction of species, has made significant strides in the field of avian cellular science. Recently, they announced an exciting development that brings us closer to the revival of the dodo, a bird that has been extinct for nearly three hundred years. For the first time in history, the Colossal Avian Genetics Group has successfully grown primordial germ cells, or PGCs, from pigeons. This achievement is a crucial step in the process of bringing the dodo back to life. Colossal has also secured a substantial funding boost of $120 million, with contributions from notable investors such as USIT, Bob Nelsen, and Peter Jackson.
This new funding adds to the company’s existing $200 million from their most recent investment round, bringing their total for this Series C round to an impressive $320 million. Since its inception in September 2021, Colossal has raised over $555 million in total funding, leading to a company valuation of approximately $10.32 billion.
Following a recent announcement about the Moa, another bird being targeted for de-extinction, this new funding enables Colossal to expand its Avian Genetics Group. The team has also created a unique flock of gene-edited chickens, which may serve as potential surrogates for dodos and other endangered bird species. Additionally, they have developed new genomic resources for exotic and endangered pigeons, helping to identify key areas for genetic editing as they aim to revive the dodo. These advancements not only speed up the de-extinction process but also enhance the tools available for conserving bird biodiversity.
Colossal has taken a further step by forming the Mauritius Dodo Advisory Committee. This committee is made up of experts who are well-versed in the culture and history of Mauritius, the native home of the dodo. Their involvement will ensure that local conservation efforts are respected and supported, and they will help in developing a program to reintroduce the dodo into its natural habitat in Mauritius.
When it comes to de-extinction, a key challenge is transforming modified cells into living organisms. For mammals, this is often achieved through a procedure called cloning, specifically through somatic cell nuclear transfer. However, birds present a unique challenge due to the structure of their eggs, which makes traditional cloning methods impossible. Instead, a different approach must be used to pass genetic modifications onto future generations of birds. This involves culturing and editing primordial germ cells, which can eventually develop into eggs or sperm. By fertilizing these modified eggs with modified sperm, the genetic edits can be successfully transmitted to the next generation of birds.
Before Colossal’s milestone, the culture of primordial germ cells was only possible in chickens and geese. The recent success with pigeon PGCs marks a significant breakthrough, paving the way toward creating the first dodos in nearly three centuries. To establish the pigeon PGC culture method, Colossal’s avian team explored over 300 different combinations of growth factors and other substances to find the right conditions for growth. These PGCs have been thriving for more than two months, doubling approximately every 35 hours, and demonstrating the capacity to migrate to the gonads when injected into surrogate embryos. This behavior confirms that they are functioning correctly as primordial germ cells, and the team will continue to utilize these cells to apply their genetic engineering techniques.
This technology does not solely aim at de-extinction; it also opens up new avenues for conservation, especially for endangered species like the Mauritian pink pigeon. This species has faced significant challenges, including severe population declines and a loss of genetic diversity. Using the advancements in PGC culture, scientists can restore lost genetic variation and even engineer cells that are resistant to diseases. Additionally, biobanking these cells can serve as a safeguard against further genetic losses.
Generating edited PGCs is just the initial step in a more complex process to create genetically modified birds. After producing the edited PGCs, they need to be injected into developing chicken embryos, where they will further develop into functional eggs and sperm. The resulting chicks will be chimeric, meaning their reproductive cells will carry the genetic edits while the rest of their cells will have the original, unaltered genome. Once these chicks reach sexual maturity, their modified sperm and eggs can be used for either natural or assisted fertilization, potentially producing fully genetically edited birds.
Although this may sound like a straightforward process, few laboratories worldwide have managed to produce chicks with gene-edited germ cells. Colossal has achieved this remarkable feat in under six months since establishing its avian colony. This colony uses the Nicobar pigeon, which is the dodo’s closest living relative, as the genetic donor for the de-extinction project. In Texas, Colossal has successfully bred a colony of Nicobar pigeons, which have begun laying eggs. From these eggs, the team has created fibroblast cultures that will serve as the basis for their genetic editing tests.
With these advancements, Colossal Biosciences is not only making headway in the ambitious goal of de-extincting the dodo but is also setting the stage for broader applications in conservation and biodiversity restoration across the avian world.
Mauritius Advisory Committee Advisors
The Mauritius Advisory Committee is made up of the following advisors:
– Dr. Devina Lobine, Research Officer at the Mauritius Institute of Biotechnology & Global Leader in Science, Policy, and Innovation and Chair of the Mauritius Advisory Committee
– Prof. Carl Jones, PhD, Chief Scientist, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust & 2016 Indianapolis Prize Laureate
– Ananda Devi, Officier des Arts et des Lettres (France), Grand Officer of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean (Mauritius), Neustadt Prize Laureate
– Joya Bhandari, Environmental Consultant & Green Policy Advisor for Island Sustainability
– Kallyanee Bodha, Chemistry Educator | Author | Advocate for Conservation
– Dr. Dhanjay Jhurry, GOSK, CSK, Managing Director of Uniciti International Education Hub
– Kevin Ramkaloan, CEO of Business Mauritius & Economic Policy Leader
– Mehul Bhatt, Head of Strategy, Savanne Life Sciences & Board Director, Business Mauritius
– Dr. Vidushi Neergheen, Director of the Doctoral School, University of Mauritius & Leading Researcher in Biopharmaceutical Innovation
– Krishna Pentayah, Science Diplomat, Researcher, Mechanical Engineer, Climate & Cultural Leader, Author, Artist
– Meiya Gujjalu, Conservation Student & Co-Founder of Daring Dodos
– Vikash Rupear, Director, Natural History Museum of Mauritius
– Vikash Tatayah, Director of Conservation, Mauritian Wildlife Foundation
KEY QUOTES:
“Our avian team’s breakthrough in deriving culture conditions that allow pigeon primordial germ cells to survive long-term is a significant advancement for dodo de-extinction. This progress highlights how Colossal’s investment in de-extinction technology is driving discovery and developing tools for both our de-extinction and conservation efforts. Following the global excitement around our recent moa announcement, this new infusion of capital will help us expand our infrastructure and grow our avian genomics team to accelerate not only the new moa de-extinction project, but also continue to track progress on the dodo.”
Colossal CEO and co-founder Ben Lamm
“The first cell culture recipe was for chicken PGCs, and was published nearly 20 years ago. Unfortunately, that recipe has not worked on any other bird species tested, even closely related species like quail. Colossal’s discovery of a recipe for pigeons dramatically expands avian reproductive technologies and is the foundation for our dodo work.”
“Like the advances the team has made in avian reproductive technologies, these genomic resources will have far-reaching implications for our work and for the work of others. The genomic data will help us learn why each of these birds are unique, making it possible for us to prioritize our gene editing but also helping us to understand what we’re losing as bird species become increasingly rare and possibly extinct.”
Anna Keyte, Avian Species Director
“This breakthrough in culturing pigeon primordial germ cells represents a transformative tool for avian conservation. By developing these protocols, we’re establishing crucial biobanking capabilities and opening new possibilities for genetic rescue of endangered species.”
Beth Shapiro, Colossal’s Chief Science Officer
“The solitaire was a large flightless bird that was similar in many ways to the dodo but also behaviorally and physically distinct. Colossal’s genome will allow new insights into the genetic reasons underlying the differences between these birds and highlight what DNA sequences made the dodo distinct.”
Paleontologist Julian Hume of the Natural History Museum in London and Tring, who collected the samples from cave sites on Rodrigues
“Driven by a deep passion for scientific discoveries and inspired by the dream of seeing the dodo walk the earth once more, I am pleased to lead the Mauritius Dodo Advisory Committee. This journey is more than reviving a lost species–it is about honouring our island’s unique heritage.” Lobine will help lead discussions focused on updates from Colossal related to genomics research, biodiversity, environmental restoration, and the long-term wellbeing of the Mauritian community.
Devina Lobine, Ph.D., the Chair of the MDAC, Research Officer, Mauritius Institute of Biotechnology