Colossal Biosciences announced a series of scientific milestones on October 14, 2026 that advance its dodo de-extinction program. The company unveiled GenoMorph, an AI platform designed to identify gene-editing targets from limited genomic data, and reported progress in genome assembly, avian stem cell research, and embryo gene editing. These developments provide a stronger foundation for translating predicted dodo traits into experimentally validated edits.
GenoMorph Identifies Candidate Regulatory Elements
Colossal built GenoMorph by creating an avian regulatory atlas from hundreds of samples taken from chickens, quail, ducks, and pigeons. The dataset spanned six stages of embryonic development and three regions of the developing face, then was combined with genomes and CT-derived skull measurements from more than 70 bird species. Researchers mapped 541 anatomical landmarks, focusing on the Nicobar pigeon, the dodo's closest living relative.
Candidate Elements Prioritized for Functional Validation
The platform identified 653 candidate regulatory elements associated with beak size and 1,698 associated with beak thickness and breadth, totaling about 2,300 targets. Colossal emphasized that these findings do not yet establish causation, but they provide prioritized targets for experimental testing. Elements confirmed to influence craniofacial development may be considered for precision genome editing in the Nicobar pigeon, according to the company.
Dire Wolf Technology Improves Dodo Genome Assembly
Ancient DNA is typically fragmented and damaged, a challenge that conventional assembly methods often handle by mapping fragments to a living reference genome. Colossal applied an iterative assembly method originally developed for its dire wolf project, allowing previously unmatched dodo DNA fragments to progressively fill gaps. The resulting dodo genome now has 95% of bases covered at least 5-fold and an average coverage of 65-fold.
Nicobar Pigeon Colony and Germ Cell Advances Expand
Colossal has expanded its Texas colony of Nicobar pigeons, the dodo's closest living relative, to 36 birds after successful breeding among established pairs. Eggs collected during the latest breeding season were used to derive Nicobar pigeon primordial germ cells, which are the cells that eventually develop into sperm and eggs. The company is also working on a telomere-to-telomere Nicobar pigeon genome to improve coverage of the extinct Rodrigues solitaire.
Stem Cell Chimeras and Lipid Nanoparticle Editing
Colossal scientists developed a platform using avian embryonic stem cells to generate chimeric chickens, successfully hatching the first chimeras produced through the system. The team is expanding this stem cell culture system to pigeons so edited cells can be used to test phenotypic effects before editing primordial germ cells. In another advance, a lipid-nanoparticle delivery platform introduced DNA, RNA, and CRISPR tools into bird embryos, with editing of the bone-development regulator Runx2 producing a clear craniofacial phenotype.
A Scalable Framework for Extinct and Endangered Species
The company said the GenoMorph platform's implications extend beyond a single species. By predicting developmentally active regulatory DNA from genome sequence alone and validating it against quantitative morphological data across a broad comparative sample, Colossal has created a scalable framework for studying the genetic basis of complex anatomical traits. This could benefit endangered species where large population genomic datasets are unlikely to exist and functionally relevant regulatory variants have previously been hard to identify.
These milestones collectively create a repeatable framework for connecting ancient genomes to extinct traits, according to Colossal. The company said the work extends beyond the dodo by providing a scalable method to study complex anatomical traits in endangered bird species with limited population genomic data. Colossal plans to continue functional validation of candidate regulatory elements and refine its avian de-extinction platform.