Vertebrate Genomes Project

Colossal Biosciences and Save the Elephants Debut First-of-its-Kind Project to Utilize Drones and Machine Learning for Elephant Conservation

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, November 9, 2023

(Credit: Colossal Biosciences)

Key Points: 
  • (Credit: Colossal Biosciences)
    In this collaboration, Save the Elephants will deploy a small fleet of drones equipped with high resolution and infrared cameras to capture elephant behavioral data.
  • “The technological sophistication of modern drones, combined with appropriate analysis including the use of Machine Learning and AI expertise, will reveal many novel insights into elephant behavior and ecology.
  • And the better we understand elephants, the more we can help to secure a future for these iconic giants,” said Fritz Vollrath of Save the Elephants.
  • Colossal is working closely with the Save the Elephants team, including CEO Frank Pope and Colossal Scientific Advisor and Save the Elephants Chairman, Fritz Vollrath.

PacBio Announces Kinnex RNA Kits, Further Scaling HiFi Sequencing in Full-Length RNA, Single-Cell RNA and 16S rRNA Applications

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, October 31, 2023

MENLO PARK, Calif., Oct. 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- PacBio (NASDAQ: PACB), a leading developer of high-quality, highly accurate sequencing solutions, today announced it has begun taking orders for its groundbreaking Kinnex RNA kits, which increase throughput for full-length RNA, single-cell RNA, and 16S rRNA sequencing on PacBio's long-read sequencing systems to enable large-scale studies at a resolution difficult to attain with short-read RNA sequencing.

Key Points: 
  • Our customers have asked for the same for RNA sequencing, and these Kinnex kits deliver just that with tens of millions of full-length reads per run.
  • Short-read sequencing has difficulty covering entire transcripts, while long-read sequencing of one transcript would traditionally result in unused sequencing capacity.
  • With Kinnex, customers can concatenate transcripts into long libraries for HiFi sequencing, increasing throughput and making long-read RNA sequencing more cost effective.
  • The Kinnex full-length RNA kit offers full-length RNA sequencing with abundant information and flexible sample multiplexing.

Colossal Biosciences and the Vertebrate Genomes Project Publish the First Near Complete African Elephant Chromosome Level Genome

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, May 18, 2023

Colossal Biosciences, a breakthrough biosciences and genetic engineering company, and the Vertebrate Genomes Project (VGP) , which aims to sequence high-quality reference genomes for all living vertebrates, partnered to successfully generate the first high-quality reference genome of the African elephant.

Key Points: 
  • Colossal Biosciences, a breakthrough biosciences and genetic engineering company, and the Vertebrate Genomes Project (VGP) , which aims to sequence high-quality reference genomes for all living vertebrates, partnered to successfully generate the first high-quality reference genome of the African elephant.
  • Last year, the partnership announced a near complete sequence of the Asian elephant genome.
  • View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230518005164/en/
    African elephant image and genome assembly statistics; sequencing and assembly platforms used with genome coverage fold; Arima Hi-C assembly map.
  • The VGP and Colossal are seeking help with sample donors to produce a high-quality reference genome of the Forest Elephant.

PacBio Celebrates Nature Methods Naming Long-Read Sequencing "Method of the Year"

Retrieved on: 
Friday, January 13, 2023

MENLO PARK, Calif., Jan. 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- PacBio (NASDAQ: PACB), a leading developer of high-quality, highly accurate sequencing solutions, today celebrated long-read sequencing being named Nature Methods' "Method of the Year 2022."

Key Points: 
  • MENLO PARK, Calif., Jan. 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- PacBio (NASDAQ: PACB), a leading developer of high-quality, highly accurate sequencing solutions, today celebrated long-read sequencing being named Nature Methods' "Method of the Year 2022."
  • "PacBio has led a transformation of genomics by making long-read sequencing more accurate and accessible than ever with the introduction of HiFi sequencing," said Christian Henry, President and Chief Executive Officer of PacBio.
  • "Nature Methods recognizes the criticality of highly accurate long-read sequencing to continuing to advance genomic research.
  • Nature Methods cited four wish-list items which further long-read sequencing: lower cost, greater accuracy, time savings, and increased application utility.

Colossal Accelerates Research and Development of Life-Saving Vaccine to Prevent Elephant Extinction

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, October 5, 2022

Colossal Biosciences, a breakthrough genetic engineering and de-extinction company, accelerates efforts to end elephant extinction on Earth.

Key Points: 
  • Colossal Biosciences, a breakthrough genetic engineering and de-extinction company, accelerates efforts to end elephant extinction on Earth.
  • Colossal will lead the development of novel treatments and a vaccine to prevent the deadly disease and protect as many elephants as possible - both in zoos and in their natural habitats.
  • Colossal and Dr. Lings lab will accelerate milestones in three phases, including the development and rollout of a protein subunit vaccine, the development of an mRNA vaccine, and the development of a monoclonal antibody treatment.
  • Were thrilled to advance science to benefit both existing and future generations of elephants and mammoths, said Justin Quinn, Colossal Director of Product Development.

Colossal Biosciences and the Vertebrate Genomes Project Sequence the Asian Elephant Genome, Chromosome to Chromosome

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, July 12, 2022

Colossal Biosciences, a breakthrough biosciences and genetic engineering company, and the Vertebrate Genomes Project (VGP ) have become the first to successfully sequence the entire Asian elephant genome, introducing a new wave of innovative and disruptive animal conservation.

Key Points: 
  • Colossal Biosciences, a breakthrough biosciences and genetic engineering company, and the Vertebrate Genomes Project (VGP ) have become the first to successfully sequence the entire Asian elephant genome, introducing a new wave of innovative and disruptive animal conservation.
  • View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220712005534/en/
    Arima Hi-C Assembly of the Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus) Genome.
  • The first phase of this landmark project which was completed in June included the sequencing, assembly, and annotation of the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) genome.
  • Following the efforts given to the T2T human genome project, the Asian elephant will be one of the first genomes to be sequenced T2T.

Colossal Biosciences and the Vertebrate Genomes Project Will Preserve the Genetic Code of all Endangered Elephant Species Through Genomic Sequencing

Retrieved on: 
Friday, October 1, 2021

Colossal and the Vertebrate Genomes Project (VGP) embark on the worlds first effort to obtain the genetic code of the existing elephant lineage, of which all three species are endangered.

Key Points: 
  • Colossal and the Vertebrate Genomes Project (VGP) embark on the worlds first effort to obtain the genetic code of the existing elephant lineage, of which all three species are endangered.
  • Following the VGP principles, these genomes will be made publicly available to be used for research without use restrictions.
  • The Asian and African elephants are classified as Endangered, and the Forest elephant is classified as Critically Endangered by the IUCN .
  • By sequencing these three elephant species, we will genetically preserve the entire order.

PacBio Partners with The European Reference Genome Atlas Initiative

Retrieved on: 
Monday, September 27, 2021

Biodiversity is under threat worldwide with a high number of European species at risk of extinction1.

Key Points: 
  • Biodiversity is under threat worldwide with a high number of European species at risk of extinction1.
  • Together, PacBio and ERGA aim to put Europes biodiversity on the path to recovery by 2030, said Neil Ward, Vice President and General Manager of EMEA at PacBio.
  • ERGA seeks to increase coordination across all countries of the European continent, in tandem with international partners, to generate reference-quality, complete and error-free genome assemblies for at least 200,000 plant and animal species - across Europe.
  • Were excited to welcome PacBio to the ERGA initiative and look forward to our coordinated effort to generate complete reference genomes for all European biodiversity, which will accelerate conservation initiatives and advance biodiversity genomics innovation.