Company that 'resurrected' dire wolf announces frozen biovault for endangered species

Colossal Biosciences said it will open a Colossal Biovault and World Preservation Lab inside Dubai's Museum of the Future to store millions of frozen tissue and other samples from about 10,000 species, including the 100 most endangered globally and in the UAE. Experts and conservation groups note that cryobanking is a complementary tool and raise questions about governance, access and long-term integration with conservation efforts.

Colossal Biosciences announced a Colossal Biovault and World Preservation Lab to be situated inside Dubai's Museum of the Future. The company says the facility will store millions of frozen tissue and other samples from roughly 10,000 species and aims to include the 100 most endangered species globally and in the UAE. Colossal, known for announcing it had "resurrected" three dire wolf–like animals using ancient DNA, cloning and gene editing, plans to use the vault both for research and as a potential source of material should species go extinct. The initiative is part of a larger, nine-figure partnership with the UAE and is described by Colossal as the first site in a planned global network of biovaults. Key details: - The Colossal Biovault and World Preservation Lab will be located in Dubai's Museum of the Future and is intended to be visible to the public. - Colossal says the vault will hold millions of frozen tissue and other samples from about 10,000 species, including the 100 most endangered globally and in the UAE. - The company plans a dual approach: using samples for scientific research and as material that could be drawn on for species restoration efforts. - The UAE has invested $60 million in Colossal, and the company has raised $615 million since its founding in 2021. - San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and independent scientists have urged attention to regulatory frameworks, long-term governance, access, and the limits of cryobanking as a conservation tool. - Colossal says the list of 100 imperiled species is being finalized in a joint research project with UAE partners, and the company describes this vault as the first in a planned global network. Summary: The biovault is presented as a large-scale repository for genetic and tissue samples that could support research and Colossal's stated aims around species restoration, while conservation groups and scientists have signaled that governance, access, funding and policy integration are important considerations. The final list of the 100 most imperiled species to be included is still being collated with UAE partners, and Colossal says this site is intended as the first of multiple global locations.