Colossal Biosciences Launches GenoMorph AI for De-Extinction

GenoMorph combines 3D skull measurements from over 70 bird species, developmental data from chickens, quail, ducks, and pigeons with the single available dodo genome to predict which genetic switches shaped the dodo's distinctive appearance. The dodo genome scarcity is stark: Colossal has just one dodo genome versus the 100 woolly mammoth genomes it works with — tropical climates degrade DNA far faster than the Arctic cold that preserved mammoth samples. CEO Ben Lamm described GenoMorph as a "treasure map for the dodo genome," narrowing an otherwise massive search space down to roughly 2,300 promising DNA editing targets for cranial-facial morphology alone. The platform took over a year to build. Identifying targets is only half the problem. To test edits without waiting full breeding cycles for birds to reach sexual maturity, Colossal also developed a lipid nanoparticle delivery system to introduce gene-editing tools directly into developing bird embryos — letting researchers see developmental effects far faster than traditional methods allow.