The University of Melbourne is launching the Thylacine Integrated Genetic Restoration Research (TIGRR) Lab, funded by a $5 million gift, to develop technologies aimed at de-extincting the thylacine and advancing marsupial conservation.
The University of Melbourne is establishing a world-class research lab for de-extinction and marsupial conservation science thanks to a $5 million philanthropic gift.
The gift will be used to establish the Thylacine Integrated Genetic Restoration Research (TIGRR) Lab, led by Professor Andrew Pask, which will develop technologies that could achieve de-extinction of the thylacine (commonly known as the Tasmanian tiger), and provide crucial tools for threatened species conservation.
“Thanks to this generous funding we’re at a turning point where we can develop the technologies to potentially bring back a species from extinction and help safeguard other marsupials on the brink of disappearing,” Professor Pask, from the School of BioSciences at the University of Melbourne said.
“Our research proposes nine key steps to de-extinction of the thylacine. One of our biggest breakthroughs was sequencing the thylacine genome, providing a complete blueprint on how to essentially build a thylacine.”
“The funding will allow our lab to move forward and focus on three key areas: improving our understanding of the thylacine genome; developing techniques to use marsupial stem cells to make an embryo; and then successfully transferring the embryo into a host surrogate uterus, such as a dunnart or Tasmanian devil,” Professor Pask said.
The thylacine, a unique marsupial carnivore also known as the Tasmanian wolf, was once widespread in Australia but was confined to the island of Tasmania by the time Europeans arrived in the 18th century. It was soon hunted to extinction by colonists, with the last known animal dying in captivity in 1936.
“Of all the species proposed for de-extinction, the thylacine has arguably the most compelling case. The Tasmanian habitat has remained largely unchanged, providing the perfect environment to re-introduce the thylacine and it is very likely its reintroduction would be beneficial for the whole ecosystem,” Professor Pask said.
Broader Impact on Marsupial Conservation
At least 39 Australian mammal species have gone extinct in the past 200 years, and nine are currently listed as critically endangered and at high risk of extinction.
“The tools and methods that will be developed in the TIGRR Hub will have immediate conservation benefits for marsupials and provide a means to protect diversity and protect against the loss of species that are threatened or endangered,” Professor Pask said.
“While our ultimate goal is to bring back the thylacine, we will immediately apply our advances to conservation science, particularly our work with stem cells, gene editing, and surrogacy, to assist with breeding programs to prevent other marsupials from suffering the same fate as the Tassie tiger.”
The donation comes from the Wilson Family Trust. Mr. Russell Wilson said the story of the thylacine and its unceremonious exit from this world really touched his family.
“We came across Professor Pask’s incredible work, believe it or not, via some YouTube clips on him talking about his research and passion for the thylacine and Australian marsupials. We realize that we are on the verge of a great breakthrough in science through improvements in technology and its application to the genome,” Mr. Wilson said.
“The benefits of this open research will be wide and varied.”
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25 Comments
Very I nteresting.
1. Many More Species like the Koala bear and others like Koala bear can be added to the list. Especially after recent forest forest fires.
2. Maybe my good friends the “Aussies” Can develop a comprehensive theory of “Extinction of species” . After all , when they say “Today” it sounds like “To die”.!!! Name it after”Warnie” . I saw his first test match at Mumbai .
Dont put your trust in humans because we are destroyers not creators of living organisms only God the one who gives life and made this planet can truly do what they hope they can (scientists) evolution is a farce and only an Idiot would believe such a theory Things adapt to their environment or perish…
100% Facts Amen.
No, no “amen” and “100% fActS” any REAL Christian would and should be DISGUSTED by this person’s ingorance, denial, and IDIOTICAL stance on (seemingly) science?!? …. And any “christians” who do aren’t REAL Christians?!? …. They simply just use Christianity as a CRUTCH so they can feel better about themselves and their PATHETIC life and ANYTHING that suggests otherwise (that Christianity isn’t 100% true/real…. 😶😐😑🙄) They dimiss as being “dumb” or “just a theory” ….. REGARDLESS of evidence…. If it challenges the idea that when they die they’ll get sit on a cloud and play the harp for the rest of eternity…. They close-mindly DENY it?!? …. Like, you simply can’t just REJECT something because it’s goes against your personal opinions and ideals?!? …. ESPECIALLY if it has EVIDENCE behind it?!? …. Like?!? …. That’s like rejecting that the OCEAN exists because you don’t like the idea if you go inside of it(unprepared of course.) You’ll DROWN?!? …….. If you really support this close-minded, selfish, evidence-denying, and anti-science behavior…… I’m promise you that the only place you’re going when you die(if “god” really does exist.) Is DOWN…. 😶
Like?!? …. You did you REALLY just called MOST of the population “iDioTs”?!? …. Doctors, surgeons, lifeguards, scientists, artists, and SOLIDERS?!? …. Simply because their “beliefs” don’t Aline with your “beliefs”?!? ….. Because they don’t believe that there’s a MAN in the SKY?!? …. And when they die…. They’ll get on a cloud And the harp for the rest of ETERNITY?!? …. LIKE?!? …. Who’s the real “iDiOt” here?!? … DUMBASS… 😶
Very interested to see other applications of this technique. Great work people involved !!
Asan spprentice Electrician, when I was wirkin* in the Australian Museum on the corner of Park, and College Streets Sydney, I can remember seeing a Foetus of a thylacine stored in the Carpenters Workshop.
I have mentioned this numerous times in the hope that it would be of some Benefit to Science, I have always wondered what happened to that Foetus.
I think it’s a great idea.its not playing God,it’s working with what God has already created. Ill pray!
Did y’all learn nothing from Jurassic Park and Swarm???
I wish them godspeed. Hopefully someday we can bring back the dodo, passenger pigeon, mammoth, mastodon, and wooly rhino.
Jimmie, you are rambling about a topic that you have no knowledge or expertise in, you are being ignorant to something that has tangible research and data behind it, but sure – keep rambling and preaching about something you read in a book with no factual or visible evidence to it, in an attempt to denounce and discredit something that you simply do not understand despite the facts that were laid out infront of your eyes.
My 1st reaction is “What an excellent advance in science!
2nd reaction is ” who decidesw what to bring what back, and how do we know in which environment?
3rd: Oh, great. This science can be used to continue our path of extinction, believing we only need more taxes to bring back beings, without taking into account that their death has changed our environment so much, and potentially irrevocably.
It is cruel to bring one back just to satisfy our curiosity. No doubt it will be on exhibition for tourists. It will be alone with no others of its kind. Please don’t do this.
The tigers numbers are very low but they are not extinct. Footage from Australian peoples security cameras within the last 3 years have seen them and been posted about the internet..the same with sightings of mountain lions in northern states of the US.
Funny how non scientific no proof bible theorists like to blab and pray to jeopardise the scientific community… “god created…” ~ LOL!!!
Can the anti science fascist please not leave religious comments. We don’t go on your religious forums and educate you with science on how 90% of your Bible doesn’t make sense.
Amazing that people want to bring back lost animals when we can’t save the ones still here. It would definitely be interesting but I’m not sure it’s the right thing to do.
Science is a man made thing just as much as God is. Nothing is ever fact in science for long. Both are just ways to understand what you don’t understand. Your fact may not be their fact but that doesnt make them stupid. Your beliefs may not be theirs but you don’t know your right. I know, I know, science can be proven. Facts and machines and whatnot. What you going to do when the aliens come and tell you 1+1=3.67543 and your wrong. Argue with the beings in giant space crafts about how they are wrong. While they are shooting you with their science while your telling them they cant be because their math is wrong. Your beliefs are the same. Just something someone else said that you are repeating thinking it makes you right.
And yes yes you do go to their religious forums constantly and comment. Again you are all the same. You do the same thing crying like the other is worse. Smart people can be zealots too. To say otherwise shows your minuscule brain power
Yes, you’re right BOTH sides aren’t 100% sure on things… And just like how not ALL christians are zealots/”bad”… Not all “smart” people are zealots/”bad”…. But the former(religious people.) Are USUALLY more likely to hurt/harm and even KILL you for having different “beliefs” than them… 😶
(Like, I don’t know about you but I personally never met/heard someone who hurted or even KILLED somebody… Simply because they COMPLETELY agree with them on quantum mechanics…. 😶🙂)
Also, “smart” people (at least from what I have seen.) Tend to be more OPEN-minded…. SKEPTICAL of course… But still pretty Open-minded…. While religious people tend to be more CLOSE-minded…. 😶
(Obviously, this isn’t ALWAYS the case…. But it TENDS to be from what I have seen…. 😶)
@jimmie K so…. You’re pretty saying we should just kill ourselves (by polluting the environment, overhunting,etc) simply because “iF gOd iSnT dOiNg iT, iT sHoUldN’t bE dOnE?!?” …. REALLY?!? …. 😶😐😑😡🤦🙄
(Also, evolution is NOT a “fArAcE”?!? …. We have TONS of evidence like bones,fossils, DNA, frozen ice AGE cadavers,etc…. Simply because you don’t AGREE with something doesn’t make it untrue?!? …. LIKE?!? …. You can not like gravity but still ACKNOWLEDGE it’s existence/real?!? …… Stupid, mentally ill, Christian dumbass?!? …. 😶)
While this research is promising, I cannot help but be disheartened by the reality: the Tasmanian Tiger was driven in extinction not by “humans”- Aboriginal Man coexisted with Tasmanian Tigers for 1000s of years – but by Western Man who colonized Australia and killed it there before moving to Tasmania and killing it there. And those Western mindsets and viewpoints are still present and just as selfish, greedy, and violent. Aussie ranchers and farmers of today would still kill a rejuvenated or reborn/deextincted Tasmanian Tiger to protect his revenue stream/bottom line. Even if the govt compensated him, he’d kill it for fun.
Make no mistake Man’s greed is violent.
Why are they doing this when there is video evidence of a Thylacine in 2021 on you tube.. let bring back a non extinct species you hypocrites.
Ok, I’m not going to get off on a theological tyrant on an ethical dilemma. So,the real question would beb is it right that we bring this species back into existence since we drove it into extinction? Who gets the deciding vote? What are the ecological ramifications of doing this positive and negative? Where do we draw the line ? I’m not near educated or experienced enough to give a definite answer to any of those questions, but my opinion is yes bring back species we caused to go extinct. How we decide on which species to extinct have an international board composed of scientists, and other professionals decide which species should be de extinct and also implement a plan to reintroduce those species back into the environment without shocking the ecological system. That’s my opinion as a final note I am a Christian and I don’t believe this violates any law God put in place. So, if done responsibly with oversight from the international scientific community this can be a good thing in my opinion.