0108 : De-Extinction with Ben Novak
De-extinction pioneer & lead scientist at Revive & Restore, Ben Novak, joins the show to discuss his history with the 'Jurassic Park' franchise, the realities and challenges of de-extinction, Elizabeth Ann and the future of biotechnology in conservation.
De-extinction pioneer & lead scientist at Revive & Restore, Ben Novak, joins the show to discuss his history with the 'Jurassic Park' franchise, the realities and challenges of de-extinction, Elizabeth Ann and the future of biotechnology in conservation.
Ben Novak
Ben’s mission in leading the Great Passenger Pigeon Comeback is to set the standard for de-extinction protocols and considerations in the lab and field. His 2018 review article, “De-extinction,” in the journal Genes helped to define this new term. More recently, his treatment, Building Ethical De-Extinction Programs—Considerations of Animal Welfare in Genetic Rescue was published in December 2019 in The Routledge Handbook of Animal Ethics: 1st Edition.
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Ben’s work at Revive & Restore also includes extensive education and outreach, the co-convening of seminal workshops, and helping to develop the Avian and Black-footed Ferret Genetic Rescue programs included in the Revive & Restore Catalyst Science Fund, alongside the fund’s Program Manager Bridget Baumgartner.
While passenger pigeons are Ben’s passion and specialty, the conceptualization of biotech-based genetic rescue solutions for all organisms has been a lifelong pursuit. Ben graduated from Montana State University studying Ecology and Evolution (2005). He later trained in Paleogenomics at the McMaster University Ancient DNA Centre in Ontario (2010-2012). This is where he began his study of passenger pigeon DNA, which then contributed to his Master’s thesis in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California Santa Cruz (2016). This work also formed the foundational science for de-extinction.
From 2017 to 2019, Ben worked at the Australian Animal Health Laboratory–CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) to advance genetic engineering protocols for the pigeon. Now returned to the U.S., Ben continues with the conceptual work he began at CSIRO to accelerate avian functional genomics for genetic rescue research.
I am a science communicator and scientist collaboratively pioneering the emerging field of genetic rescue and de-extinction. Since joining Revive & Restore as a contracted consultant in 2012 I have helped shape Revive & Restore's genetic rescue efforts and lead our flagship project, The Great Passenger Pigeon Comeback. In this role, I coordinate collaborators and partners to accomplish the end goal of restoring the ecology of the Passenger Pigeon to eastern North American forests. Since taking on the project in 2012, I have used my training in ecology and ancient DNA laboratory work to contribute hands on to sequencing the Passenger Pigeon's genome and study important aspects of the species' ecological niche vital to its restoration. My mission in leading the Great Passenger Pigeon Comeback is that the program sets the standards for de-extinction protocols and considerations from the lab to the field. While passenger pigeons are my passion and specialty, the conceptualization of biotechnology genetic rescue solutions for all organisms have been a lifelong pursuit.
My expanding duties in Revive & Restore include leading/coleading all of the organization's avian programs and our black-footed ferret genetic rescue program. I am now assisting the management of our newly formed Catalyst Science Fund and Marine Biobanking & Sequencing Fund, both of which fund innovative partnered projects for various genetic rescue applications. I work extensively in outreach and education, and both participate in and co-organize Revive & Restore's workshops and conferences, which have accelerated the the expansion of biotechnology research for conservation. I also work as the primary graphic designer for Revive & Restore's website and dissemination/fundraising materials.
