From Tigers to Frogs: Colossal’s Bold Biotech Pivot for Australia’s Biodiversity

Colossal Biosciences, already known for audacious projects like reviving the dire wolf and sequencing the Tasmanian tiger genome, is now turning its genomic toolkit toward preventing new extinctions in Australia. The company is investing millions in a collaboration with the University of Melbourne to engineer frogs that can withstand the deadly chytrid fungus—a pathogen responsible for over 90 amphibian species going extinct globally and six in Australia. This shift combines de‑extinction ambitions and proactive conservation genetics, embracing CRISPR and synthetic biology both to resurrect iconic species and to future‑proof vulnerable ones. Whether the focus is on “real life Jurassic Park” feats like reviving the Tasmanian tiger and dire wolf or real-world biodiversity safeguards like “super-frogs,” Colossal’s approach underscores a risky yet innovative fusion of genomics, rewilding efforts, and synthetic biology.

Read the full feature in Inc..