Revive & Restore

{{Infobox organization

| name = Revive & Restore

| logo = Revive%26RestoreLogo.png

| type = 501(c)(3) Non-profit Organization

| founded_date = 2012

| founders = Ryan Phelan and Stewart Brand

| revenue = $5.5 million in 2022{{cite web|title=IRS 990 Form|url=https://apps.irs.gov/pub/epostcard/cor/814576399_202012_990_2021052618206613.pdf}}

| location_city = Sausalito, United States

| area_served = Global

| focus = Genetic rescue of endangered and extinct species

| native_name_lang = en

| website = {{URL|reviverestore.org}}

}}

Revive & Restore is a non-profit wildlife conservation organization focused on use of biotechnology in conservation. Headquartered in Sausalito, California, the organization's mission is to enhance biodiversity through the genetic rescue of endangered and extinct species.{{cite web|title=What we do|url=https://reviverestore.org/what-we-do/|language= en|publisher=Revive&Restore|access-date=3 May 2023}}{{cite AV media|title=Using Technology to Reverse Extinction|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/video/index/504101/technology-reverse-extinction/|publisher=The Atlantic|date=14 October 2016}} The organization was founded by Stewart Brand and his wife, Ryan Phelan.

Revive & Restore has created a "Genetic Rescue Toolkit" for wildlife conservation – a suite of biotechnology tools adapted from human medicine and commercial agriculture that can improve wildlife conservation outcomes.{{cite journal | last1 = Novak | first1 = Ben J. | last2 = Maloney | first2 = Tom | last3 = Phelan | first3 = Ryan | title = Advancing a New Toolkit for Conservation: From Science to Policy | journal = The CRISPR Journal | date = February 2018 | volume = 1 | issue = 1 | pages = 11–15 | issn = 2573-1599 | eissn = 2573-1602 | doi = 10.1089/crispr.2017.0019 | pmid = 31021184 | url = }}{{cite web|title=The Genetic Rescue Toolkit|url=https://reviverestore.org/what-we-do/genetic-rescue-toolkit/|language= en|publisher=Revive&Restore|access-date=3 May 2023}}{{cite journal | last1 = Piaggio | first1 = Antoinette J. | last2 = Segelbacher | first2 = Gernot | last3 = Seddon | first3 = Philip J. | last4 = Alphey | first4 = Luke | last5 = Bennett | first5 = Elizabeth L. | last6 = Carlson | first6 = Robert H. | last7 = Friedman | first7 = Robert M. | last8 = Kanavy | first8 = Dona | last9 = Phelan | first9 = Ryan | last10 = Redford | first10 = Kent H. | last11 = Rosales | first11 = Marina | last12 = Slobodian | first12 = Lydia | last13 = Wheeler | first13 = Keith | title = Is It Time for Synthetic Biodiversity Conservation? | journal = Trends in Ecology & Evolution | date = February 2017 | volume = 32 | issue = 2 | pages = 97–107 | issn = 0169-5347 | doi = 10.1016/j.tree.2016.10.016 | pmid = 27871673 | url = | doi-access = free | bibcode = 2017TEcoE..32...97P }} The toolkit includes biobanking and cell culturing, genetic sequencing, and advanced reproductive technologies, such as cloning. The toolkit complements traditional conservation practices, such as captive breeding and habitat restoration.{{fact|date=September 2023}}

Revive & Restore has caused controversy. In particular, Brand's work in de-extinction has been characterized as "playing god" and criticized for taking time and money away from traditional conservation efforts.{{cite web |last1=Yin |first1=Steph |title=We Might Soon Resurrect Extinct Species. Is It Worth the Cost? |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/20/science/revive-restore-extinct-species-dna-mammoth-passenger-pigeon.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=28 September 2023 |date=20 March 2017}}{{cite web |last1=Ehrlich |first1=Paul |last2=Ehrlich |first2=Anne H. |title=The Case Against De-Extinction: It's a Fascinating but Dumb Idea |url=https://e360.yale.edu/features/the_case_against_de-extinction_its_a_fascinating_but_dumb_idea |website=Yale E360 |access-date=28 September 2023}} In addition, many are concerned by the concept of cloning, even in the context of conservation.{{cite news|publisher=Cal Alumni Association, UC Berkeley|title=De-extinction Could Reverse Species Loss. But Should We Do It?|url=https://alumni.berkeley.edu/california-magazine/fall-2021/deextinction-revive-ancient-endangered-species-woolly-mammoths-passenger-pigeons |author=Leah Worthington|date=17 September 2021}}{{cite news|publisher=The Scientist|title=The Booming Call of De-extinction|url=https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/the-booming-call-of-de-extinction-68057 |author=W.S. Roberts|date=19 October 2020}}{{cite news|publisher=IEMA|title=Should genetic engineering be used as a tool for conservation?|url=https://www.iema.net/articles/should-genetic-engineering-be-used-as-a-tool-for-conservation|date=29 September 2017}}

History

Revive & Restore was co-founded in 2012 by Stewart Brand and Ryan Phelan with the idea of bringing biotechnology solutions to conservation.{{cite news | publisher=Alta | author=John Markoff | title=The Butterfly Effect | date=Apr 19, 2021 | url=https://www.altaonline.com/dispatches/a35588986/xerces-blue-butterfly-san-francisco/}} The group was incubated by the Long Now Foundation until 2017, when it became an independent 501(c)(3) organization.

In 2013 Revive & Restore organized the first public meeting on de-extinction.{{cite journal | last1 = Novak | first1 = Ben | title = De-Extinction | journal = Genes | date = 13 November 2018 | volume = 9 | issue = 11 | page = 548 | eissn = 2073-4425 | doi = 10.3390/genes9110548 | pmid = 30428542 | pmc = 6265789 | url = | doi-access = free }} Their founding projects include the de-extinction of the passenger pigeon{{cite web |title=Bringing back the Passenger Pigeon |date=Feb 8, 2012 |url=https://reviverestore.org/passenger-pigeon-workshop/|publisher=Revive&Restore}} and heath hen.{{cite news |publisher=The Vineyard Gazette |author=Noah Asimow |date=22 August 2019 |title=By Land and Sea, Looking to Restore a Planet in Crisis |url=https://vineyardgazette.com/news/2019/08/22/land-and-sea-looking-restore-planet-crisis}} Another one of their founding projects was to revive the woolly mammoth, but the project was given to George Church in 2021.{{Cite web |title=The Woolly Mammoth Revival |url=https://reviverestore.org/projects/woolly-mammoth/ |access-date=2025-04-24 |language=en-US}} Since then, Revive & Restore has established partnerships with research institutions, governmental agencies, and conservation organizations on a broad range of genetic rescue programs.{{fact|date=September 2023}}

Revive & Restore is a member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and has long-standing partnerships with the US Fish & Wildlife Service, The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, Morris Animal Foundation, and ViaGen Pets & Equine, among others.{{Cite web |title=Our Supporters - Revive & Restore |url=https://reviverestore.org/our-supporters/ |access-date=2025-04-24 |language=en-US}}

Programs

=Advanced Coral Toolkit=

The Advanced Coral Toolkit supports research teams in the development and field testing of biotechnologies that benefit coral reef management and restoration efforts. Projects include coral cryopreservation methods for large scale biobanking{{citation | last1=Powell-Palm | first1=Matthew J. | last2=Henley | first2=E. Michael | last3=Consiglio | first3=Anthony N. | last4=Lager | first4=Claire | last5=Chang | first5=Brooke | last6=Perry | first6=Riley | last7=Fitzgerald | first7=Kendall | last8=Daly | first8=Jonathan | last9=Rubinsky | first9=Boris | last10=Hagedorn | first10=Mary | title=Cryopreservation and revival of Hawaiian stony corals via isochoric vitrification | publisher=Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory | date=2023-03-06 | doi=10.1101/2023.03.05.531199 | page=| url=https://www.biorxiv.org/content/biorxiv/early/2023/03/06/2023.03.05.531199.full.pdf }} and fieldable devices for measuring genetic information or molecular signals associated with coral stress.{{cite journal | last1=Meng | first1=Zhuolun | last2=Williams | first2=Amanda | last3=Liau | first3=Pinky | last4=Stephens | first4=Timothy G. | last5=Drury | first5=Crawford | last6=Chiles | first6=Eric N. | last7=Su | first7=Xiaoyang | last8=Javanmard | first8=Mehdi | last9=Bhattacharya | first9=Debashish | title=Development of a portable toolkit to diagnose coral thermal stress | journal=Scientific Reports | publisher=Springer Science and Business Media LLC | volume=12 | issue=1 | date=2022-08-24 | issn=2045-2322 | doi=10.1038/s41598-022-18653-3 | page=14398| pmid=36002502 | pmc=9402530 | bibcode=2022NatSR..1214398M }} Launched in 2019, the program has funded 10 research teams.{{cite web |title=Advanced Coral Toolkit |access-date=May 12, 2021 |url=https://reviverestore.org/projects/advanced-coral-toolkit/|publisher= Revive & Restore}}

=Wild Genomes=

Wild Genomes is a funding program to provide genomic tools to field scientists, wildlife managers, and citizens working to protect their local biodiversity. As of 2023, Wild Genomes has funded 30 individual projects. Program categories include Terrestrial Species, Marine Species, Amphibians,{{cite web | title=Morris Animal Foundation and Revive & Restore Announce New Partnership | website=Morris Animal Foundation | date=2022-06-21 | url=https://www.morrisanimalfoundation.org/article/partnership-focused-on-saving-amphibians | access-date=2023-05-13}} and Kelp Ecosystems.{{cite web | title=Morris Animal Foundation accepting genetic research proposals for kelp forest species | website=Veterinary 33 | date=2022-12-07 | url=https://www.veterinary33.com//veterinary-today/latest-news/1145/morris-animal-foundation-accepting-genetic-research-proposals-for-kelp-forest-species.html | language=it | access-date=2023-05-13}}

=Cloning for conservation=

To help mitigate inbreeding depression for two endangered species, the black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) and Przewalski's horse (Equus ferus przewalskii), Revive & Restore facilitates on-going efforts to clone individuals from historic cell lines stored at the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Frozen Zoo.

On December 10, 2020, the world's first cloned black-footed ferret was born. This ferret, named Elizabeth Ann, marked the first time a U.S. endangered species was successfully cloned.{{cite web | last1=Magazine | first1=Smithsonian | last2=Fox | first2=Alex | title=Elizabeth Ann Is the First Cloned Black-Footed Ferret | website=Smithsonian Magazine | date=2021-02-22 | url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/elizabeth-ann-first-cloned-black-footed-ferret-180977065/ | access-date=2023-05-13}}

On August 6, 2020, the world's first cloned Przewalski’s horse was born.{{cite web | last=Morris-Grant | first=Brianna | title=San Diego Zoo announces birth of critically endangered Przewalski's horse, cloned using 42-year-old DNA - ABC News | website=ABC | date=2023-01-28 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-01-28/kurt-san-diego-zoo-clone-horse/101903196 | access-date=2023-05-13}}{{cite journal |journal=Popular Mechanics |title=Scientists Cloned the Most Endangered Horse in the World—From 40-Year-Old DNA |author=Daisy Hernandez |date=Oct 26, 2020 |url=https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/animals/a34362850/baby-horse-cloned-40-year-old-dna/}}{{Cite journal|last1=Tian|first1=X. Cindy|last2=Kubota|first2=Chikara|last3=Enright|first3=Brian|last4=Yang|first4=Xiangzhong|date=2003-11-13|title=Cloning animals by somatic cell nuclear transfer – biological factors |journal=Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology|volume=1|issue=1|pages=98|doi=10.1186/1477-7827-1-98|issn=1477-7827|pmc=521203|pmid=14614770 |doi-access=free }} Since the oocyte used was from a domestic horse, this was an example of interspecies somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT).{{Cite journal|last1=Lagutina|first1=Irina|last2=Fulka|first2=Helena|last3=Lazzari|first3=Giovanna|last4=Galli|first4=Cesare|date=October 2013|title=Interspecies Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer: Advancements and Problems|journal=Cellular Reprogramming|volume=15|issue=5|pages=374–384|doi=10.1089/cell.2013.0036|issn=2152-4971|pmc=3787369|pmid=24033141}} In 2022, the horse, named Kurt, was paired with a female Przewalski's horse at the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Safari Park to learn the behaviors of his species.{{cite web | title=World's First Successfully Cloned Endangered Przewalski's Horse Now Learning the Language of Wild Horses | website=San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance | date=2022-09-27 | url=https://sandiegozoowildlifealliance.org/pr/kurtandholly | access-date=2023-05-13}} On February 17, 2023, a second cloned Przewalski's horse was born from the same historic cell line.{{cite web | last=Segura | first=Daniella | title=Rare horse — 'thriving' at new CA home. See 'energetic' foal | website=The Sacramento Bee | date=2023-09-08 | url=https://www.sacbee.com/news/california/article279104214.html | access-date=2023-09-28}}{{cite web | last=Black | first=Abbie | title=Second Przewalski horse born from cloning | website=cbs8.com | date=2023-04-19 | url=https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/local/second-cloned-przewalski-horse/509-4c46e2f6-c583-4cd6-9b51-5065124f3e14 | access-date=2023-05-13}} Kurt and the new foal are genetic twins that may become the first cloned animals to restore lost genetic variation to their species.{{cite magazine | title=A New Cloned Horse Offers Hope for Endangered Species | magazine=WIRED | date=2023-05-04 | url=https://www.wired.com/story/cloning-endangered-species-przewalskis-horse/ | access-date=2023-05-13}}

=Intended Consequences Initiative=

In 2020, Revive & Restore developed a campaign around the concept of "Intended Consequences" – focusing on the benefits of conservation interventions, as opposed to focusing on the fears of unintended consequences.{{cite web | last=Phelan | first=Ryan | title=Ryan Phelan: The intended consequences of helping nature thrive | website=TED | date=2021-09-22 | url=https://www.ted.com/talks/ryan_phelan_the_intended_consequences_of_helping_nature_thrive | access-date=2023-05-13}} That year, Revive & Restore hosted a virtual workshop that resulted in the publication of a special issue in the journal Conservation Science and Practice.{{cite journal | title=Issue Information | journal=Conservation Science and Practice | publisher=Wiley | volume=3 | issue=4 | year=2021 | issn=2578-4854 | doi=10.1111/csp2.226 | page=| s2cid=243515255 }}

= The Great Passenger Pigeon Comeback =

Since 2012, Revive & Restore has been working to de-extinct the passenger pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius), a wild North American pigeon that was the most abundant bird in the world prior to the death of its final member in 1914. The goals behind this project are to insert the key genes of the passenger pigeon into its closest living relative, the band-tailed pigeon to create a functional reconstruction of the species that can fulfil the original's ecological niche in the Eastern United States.{{Cite web |title=About the Passenger Pigeon_March 2025 - Revive & Restore |url=https://reviverestore.org/projects/about-the-passenger-pigeon/ |access-date=2025-04-24 |language=en-US}}{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKgTiLSbvR8 |title=How to Make the Passenger Pigeon |date=2025-03-14 |last=Revive & Restore |access-date=2025-04-24 |via=YouTube}} Revive & Restore plans to hatch the first generation of these passenger pigeons by 2029 for captive breeding and research purposes, but it will take decades for the species to be reintroduced into the wild.{{Cite web |last=Stacey |first=Beth |title=Joint forestry experiment aims to replicate disturbances of extinct bird species |url=https://badgerherald.com/news/science-news/2024/11/25/uw-experts-throw-cold-water-on-passenger-pigeon-revival/ |access-date=2025-04-24 |website=The Badger Herald}}