Texas-based biotech firm Colossal Biosciences unveiled GenoMorph, an artificial intelligence platform designed to identify gene-editing targets for resurrecting the extinct dodo. The company announced on October 14, 2026, that its dodo genome has 95 percent of bases covered at least 5-fold and it has expanded its colony of Nicobar pigeons to 36 birds.
More than three centuries after human activity and invasive species drove the dodo to extinction on the island of Mauritius, a Dallas-based biotechnology company is using computational biology to close the gap between ancient DNA and living avian species. The dodo, which vanished in the late 17th century and famously survived in popular culture through Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,
represents what the company calls a pivotal target in its broader de-extinction pipeline.
GenoMorph AI Platform Identifies Thousands of Gene-Editing Targets
Because only limited dodo genomic data survives from historical specimens, researchers face a major hurdle in distinguishing the genetic variations that made the bird unique. To overcome this limitation, Colossal Biosciences developed GenoMorph, an internal artificial intelligence platform built to predict which genetic switches shaped the animal’s iconic anatomy.
Building the platform required more than a year of experimentation. They combined genetic information and three-dimensional skull measurements from more than 70 bird species.
The system acts as a treasure map for the genome. The AI learns which regions of DNA are active as different birds develop their beaks and facial structures, and uses that information to predict which genetic switches may have given the dodo its iconic appearance,
Ben Lamm, Colossal’s CEO and co-founder, explained. GenoMorph has successfully identified approximately 2,300 promising DNA-editing targets related to craniofacial morphology, including 653 regulatory elements for beak size and 1,698 for beak thickness and breadth.
Expanding the Nicobar Pigeon Colony and Avian Pipeline
While the AI platform pinpoints potential genetic targets, the company is scaling up its biological infrastructure in Texas. The firm’s colony of Nicobar pigeons—the dodo’s closest living relative—has grown to 36 birds following successful breeding among established pairs.
Eggs collected from the colony have yielded primordial germ cells, which are the fundamental cells that develop into sperm and eggs. In tandem with these reproductive cells, scientists have developed a new platform utilizing avian embryonic stem cells to generate chimeric chickens. Furthermore, a novel lipid-nanoparticle system has been deployed to deliver gene-editing tools directly into avian embryos.
According to company disclosures, the dodo genome assembly now incorporates at least fivefold coverage across roughly 95 percent of its bases, backed by an average coverage of 65-fold. The assembly methodology itself borrows from techniques previously developed for the company’s dire wolf project.
Additional De-Extinction Targets and Research Advances
Colossal Biosciences maintains a dedicated focus on its broader portfolio of vanished species alongside its work on the dodo and the dire wolf. The company’s scientific leadership team includes Chief Science Officer Beth Shapiro and Avian Species Director Anna Keyte, who have emphasized the critical role of comparative genomics in interpreting fragmented historical DNA.
Researchers working within the avian species program have noted that the dodo’s characteristic appearance arose from complex regulatory networks that cannot be fully understood through ancient genetic sequences alone. By combining computational modeling with developmental datasets gathered from living bird relatives, the team established a repeatable framework for connecting ancient genomes to observable physical traits.
Preliminary findings from the GenoMorph platform and related avian studies have been presented at major scientific gatherings, including the Craniofacial Gordon Research Conference and the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution’s annual meeting. Furthermore, detailed findings regarding the computational assembly approach have been shared on the preprint server arXiv.
The latest technical milestones arrive amid significant financial expansion for the firm. In September 2025, a $120 million extension pushed the company’s Series C funding round to $320 million, bringing total funding to more than $555 million and its valuation to $10.32 billion. Peter Diamandis, founder of the XPRIZE competition and an investor in Colossal, announced the formation of a new venture capital firm, NeoGenesis Capital, to back companies utilizing the company’s programmable biology platform.
Commercial Growth and Broader Scientific Implications
The latest technical milestones arrive amid significant financial expansion for the firm. In total, the company has raised more than $435 million since its founding.
Lamm noted that the synthetic biology tools developed for de-extinction could ultimately yield applications extending far beyond extinct fauna, potentially influencing gene therapies, targeted drug delivery, and faster-growing crops. Meanwhile, the company is engaging with Mauritian scientists and government officials regarding ecological restoration.
No release sites will be chosen until the ecological work and community consultation are finalized, but it is Colossal’s goal to put our dodos back into their natural habitats in Mauritius.
Ben Lamm, Colossal’s CEO and co-founder, via Reuters
