- National Biobank Initiative: Archive will preserve living cells, reproductive tissues and genomic material from more than 2,300 ESA-listed species.
- Open Genomic Resource: Conservation genomics data will be made freely available to researchers, where feasible.
- Long-Term Biodiversity Preservation: Biobank will support future conservation, species recovery and restoration through genomic science.
Colossal Biosciences, in partnership with the U.S. Department of the Interior and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, has launched an ambitious initiative to establish a genomic and biobanking archive for every species protected under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The project, which will become part of Colossal’s distributed BioVault network, 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. If completed, the effort will create one of the world’s most comprehensive biodiversity preservation resources, with conservation genomics data made available, where feasible, to researchers and conservation organizations worldwide.
Public-Private Collaboration to Advance Conservation
The partnership establishes a framework for preserving genetic diversity, expanding the application of genomics in wildlife conservation and evaluating emerging technologies that could strengthen species recovery efforts. U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum said the collaboration combines the scientific expertise of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service with private-sector innovation. He stated that “America leads the world when we embrace innovation and put our best minds to work solving big challenges,” adding that the partnership would “help recover species, preserve critical genetic resources, and strengthen the future of wildlife conservation.”
BioVault to Create a Permanent Genetic Archive
Colossal Biosciences will contribute its BioVault conservation biobanking infrastructure, which cryopreserves living cell lines, reproductive tissues and high-quality genomic DNA from endangered species. These biological resources can support assisted reproduction, population genetic management and future restoration efforts where species have been lost. The company also confirmed that all genomic data generated through the initiative will be deposited into open-access repositories at no cost, providing scientists with reference genomes, population-level sequencing data and bioinformatics tools.
Colossal CEO and Co-Founder Ben Lamm described the project as a landmark step for global conservation. He said “Just as the Svalbard Global Seed Vault was created to preserve the genetic diversity of our food supply, this partnership aims to preserve the genetic diversity of life itself.” Lamm added that “Every species is a library of evolutionary innovation millions of years in the making,” emphasizing that preserving the genetic blueprint of endangered species would create “a living archive of Earth’s biodiversity” and provide future generations with the opportunity “to protect, study, and restore” imperiled wildlife.
Long-Term Resource for Global Research
The partners have set a long-term goal of achieving complete biobanking and whole-genome sequencing coverage for all ESA-listed species, with priority sampling and sequencing already underway. Field collection capabilities are being deployed, and genomic data will be incorporated into federal recovery plans through a freely accessible platform for researchers, wildlife managers and conservation organizations around the world. The shared infrastructure is intended to become a permanent public resource that accelerates species recovery and reduces duplication across conservation programs.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Brian Nesvik said “As biodiversity faces increasing pressures worldwide, we must continue to evaluate and apply the best available science to conserve America’s natural heritage.” He added that the collaboration would “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.”
Matt James, Chief Animal Officer at Colossal Biosciences and Executive Director of the Colossal Foundation, said the initiative would “redefine conservation in the United States by creating a permanent genetic record of America’s most vulnerable species before they’re lost.” He added that future conservationists would inherit “the genomic tools needed to understand, protect, and restore biodiversity at an unprecedented scale,” describing the initiative as “the conservation equivalent of building the national parks system for the genomic age.”
The Memorandum of Understanding reflects a shared commitment to advancing conservation science and does not require the expenditure of federal funds. Any future projects involving funding, services or property transfers will be subject to separate agreements and applicable legal requirements.
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