Product details

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Abstract

Wildlife conservation was traditionally focused on preserving endangered species, but breakthrough advances in genetic engineering, gave rise to a new wave of thoughtful, disruptive conservation and restorative biology to rewild struggling ecosystems with long-extinct animals to help combat the effects of climate change and loss of biodiversity. In 2021, serial tech entrepreneur Ben Lamm (Lamm) along with world-renowned geneticist Dr George Church (Dr Church) founded Colossal Biosciences (Colossal) to pioneer a working model of de-extinction. Colossal which started with the lofty goal of restoring the woolly mammoth to the Arctic Tundra, had added the Dodo and Tasmanian Tiger to its official docket. Dr Church, who was also a serial entrepreneur, believed that Colossal's grand vision would lead to big opportunities in conservation, biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and more. This raised numerous concerns about how these new species would thrive in the existing environment and their impact on existing species. Biologists, palaeontologists, and ethicists questioned the need for de-extinction and criticised that Lamm and Dr Church were playing God through Colossal's efforts. Would Colossal's commitment to jumpstart nature's ancestral heartbeat in a transparent and ethical way be beneficial to mankind? Would the huge resources dedicated to de-extinction be better used in preserving existing species?

Teaching and learning

This item is suitable for undergraduate, postgraduate and executive education courses.

Time period

The events covered by this case took place in 2024.

Geographical setting

Region:
Americas
Country:
United States

Featured company

Colossal Biosciences
Employees:
51-200
Type:
Privately held
Industry:
Biotechnology

Featured protagonists

  • Ben Lamm (male), Co-founder & CEO
  • Dr George Church (male), Co-founder

About

Abstract

Wildlife conservation was traditionally focused on preserving endangered species, but breakthrough advances in genetic engineering, gave rise to a new wave of thoughtful, disruptive conservation and restorative biology to rewild struggling ecosystems with long-extinct animals to help combat the effects of climate change and loss of biodiversity. In 2021, serial tech entrepreneur Ben Lamm (Lamm) along with world-renowned geneticist Dr George Church (Dr Church) founded Colossal Biosciences (Colossal) to pioneer a working model of de-extinction. Colossal which started with the lofty goal of restoring the woolly mammoth to the Arctic Tundra, had added the Dodo and Tasmanian Tiger to its official docket. Dr Church, who was also a serial entrepreneur, believed that Colossal's grand vision would lead to big opportunities in conservation, biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and more. This raised numerous concerns about how these new species would thrive in the existing environment and their impact on existing species. Biologists, palaeontologists, and ethicists questioned the need for de-extinction and criticised that Lamm and Dr Church were playing God through Colossal's efforts. Would Colossal's commitment to jumpstart nature's ancestral heartbeat in a transparent and ethical way be beneficial to mankind? Would the huge resources dedicated to de-extinction be better used in preserving existing species?

Teaching and learning

This item is suitable for undergraduate, postgraduate and executive education courses.

Settings

Time period

The events covered by this case took place in 2024.

Geographical setting

Region:
Americas
Country:
United States

Featured company

Colossal Biosciences
Employees:
51-200
Type:
Privately held
Industry:
Biotechnology

Featured protagonists

  • Ben Lamm (male), Co-founder & CEO
  • Dr George Church (male), Co-founder

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