{"id":893888,"date":"2026-06-26T10:10:31","date_gmt":"2026-06-26T10:10:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/893888\/"},"modified":"2026-06-26T10:10:31","modified_gmt":"2026-06-26T10:10:31","slug":"dallas-based-colossal-and-u-s-fish-and-wildlife-service-launch-biovault-initiative-for-endangered-species-dallas-innovates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/893888\/","title":{"rendered":"Dallas-Based Colossal and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Launch BioVault Initiative for\u00a0Endangered Species \u00bb Dallas Innovates"},"content":{"rendered":"

In an agreement with the U.S. Department of the Interior, Colossal Biosciences, the world\u2019s first de-extinction company, is partnering with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to create one of the most ambitious biodiversity preservation initiatives ever undertaken in the United States: the creation of a genomic and biobanking archive for every species protected under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).<\/strong><\/p>\n

As part of Dallas-based Colossal\u2019s distributed BioVault network, the initiative aims to collect, sequence, and preserve living cells, reproductive tissues, and genomic material from more than 2,300 threatened and endangered plant and animal species\u2014an ambitious target that, if realized, would represent one of the most comprehensive biodiversity preservation resources ever assembled.<\/p>\n

Colossal said it intends to make conservation genomics data generated through the effort available to the global scientific and conservation communities where feasible, while safeguarding the biological building blocks of biodiversity for future conservation, recovery, and restoration efforts.<\/p>\n

\u201cAmerica leads the world when we embrace innovation and put our best minds to work solving big challenges,\u201d Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum said in a statement. \u201cThis collaboration brings together the scientific expertise of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the ingenuity of the private sector to develop new tools that can help recover species, preserve critical genetic resources, and strengthen the future of wildlife conservation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Colossal said that the memorandum of understanding highlights a shared commitment to conservation science and doesn\u2019t obligate the expenditure of federal funds. \u201cAny future projects involving funding, services, or property transfers would be subject to separate agreements and applicable legal requirements,\u201d the company added.<\/p>\n

Preserving \u2018the genetic diversity of life itself\u2019<\/p>\n

The agreement establishes a framework for collaboration focused on preserving genetic diversity for threatened and endangered species, expanding scientific understanding of genomic applications in conservation, and exploring emerging technologies that may strengthen recovery efforts for species at risk.<\/p>\n

Comparing Colossal\u2019s BioVault with Norway\u2019s Svalbard Global Seed Vault, which serves as the world\u2019s largest backup facility for seeds from around the world, CEO and co-founder Ben Lamm said the partnership \u201caims to preserve the genetic diversity of life itself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery species is a library of evolutionary innovation millions of years in the making. Once lost, that knowledge disappears forever,\u201d Lam added in a statement. \u201cBy preserving the genetic blueprint of every endangered species in America, we\u2019re creating a living archive of Earth\u2019s biodiversity\u2014a modern-day Noah\u2019s Ark built from DNA and a permanent genetic backup of our nation\u2019s most imperiled species.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lamm said that the goal is to ensure \u201cthat future generations inherit not just records of the natural world, but the opportunity to protect, study, and restore it.\u201d\u00a0He added that the large-scale plan to safeguard biodiversity \u201cmay prove to be one of the most important responsibilities of our generation.\u201d<\/p>\n

More on BioVault and the partnership<\/p>\n

Colossal said it operates the most advanced conservation biobanking and genomics infrastructure in the world. Its BioVault facilities cryopreserve living cell lines, reproductive tissues, and high-quality genomic DNA from endangered species\u2014biological materials that allow for assisted reproduction, population genetic management, and, where species go extinct, the possibility of future restoration.<\/p>\n

The genomic data generated through the partnership will be deposited into open-access repositories, and provided at no cost, giving the global scientific and conservation community reference genomes, population-level sequence data, and bioinformatic tools to speed recovery efforts beyond what any single agency or institution could accomplish alone, Colossal said.<\/p>\n

The partnership\u2019s long-term goal is full biobanking and sequencing coverage of all 2,300-plus ESA-listed species, with priority sampling and sequencing already underway. Fish & Wildlife and Colossal are actively collecting field samples, integrating whole-genome sequence data into federal recovery plans, and creating a genomic data platform freely available to any researcher, wildlife manager, or conservation organization in the world.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs biodiversity faces increasing pressures worldwide, we must continue to evaluate and apply the best available science to conserve America\u2019s natural heritage,\u201d said\u00a0U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Brian Nesvik.<\/b>\u00a0\u201cThis collaboration will help advance our understanding of how biobanking and genomics can complement existing conservation tools and contribute to the recovery and long-term resilience of imperiled species.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018National parks system for the genomic age\u2019<\/p>\n

The shared infrastructure is designed to be a permanent public resource to reduce duplication among institutions, accelerate recovery timelines, and ensure that the genetic data needed to save species is never locked behind proprietary walls.<\/p>\n

Matt James, chief animal officer at Colossal and executive director of the Colossal Foundation, said the effort would \u201credefine conservation in the United States\u201d by creating \u201ca permanent genetic record of America\u2019s most vulnerable species before they\u2019re lost.\u201d<\/p>\n

James added, \u201cFuture conservationists won\u2019t just inherit field notes and photographs\u2014they\u2019ll inherit the genomic tools needed to understand, protect, and restore biodiversity at an unprecedented scale. This is the conservation equivalent of building the national parks system for the genomic age.\u201d<\/p>\n

Earlier this year, Colossal announced plans for a BioVault in Dubai\u2019s Museum of the Future<\/a>, after a $60 million investment from the United Arab Emirates. Colossal said that it\u2019s aiming for multiple BioVaults located around the world to serve as both repositories of DNA and labs for scientists conducting the preservation work.<\/p>\n

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