Colossal Biosciences says it has taken a large leap forward in bringing the extinct dodo bird back to life.
On Wednesday, Sept. 17, the bioengineering company announced a scientific breakthrough in which its team successfully cultured pigeon primordial germ cells (or PGCs), the reproductive precursors necessary for reviving the extinct bird.
It’s the first time in history that PGC culture has been achieved beyond chickens and geese — an advancement for avian science and for the de-extinction science for which Colossal Bioscenes has become known.
Colossal CEO and co-founder Ben Lamm and the company’s chief science officer, Dr. Beth Shapiro, spoke to PEOPLE about what this development means for the project.
