{"id":275429,"date":"2025-06-05T16:44:05","date_gmt":"2025-06-05T21:44:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dallasinnovates.com\/?p=275429"},"modified":"2025-06-05T16:48:12","modified_gmt":"2025-06-05T21:48:12","slug":"the-last-word-colossal-biosciences-ben-lamm-on-science-skeptics-and-the-sound-of-a-howl","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dallasinnovates.com\/the-last-word-colossal-biosciences-ben-lamm-on-science-skeptics-and-the-sound-of-a-howl\/","title":{"rendered":"The Last Word: Colossal Biosciences’ Ben Lamm on Science, Skeptics, and the Sound of a Howl"},"content":{"rendered":"

“He did this because others were too afraid to do it.”<\/h1>\n

Ben Lamm<\/strong>
\nCo-founder and CEO
\nColossal Biosciences
\n.\u2026on how he’d want his obituary to read, via TechStuff podcast.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Ben Lamm knows the work he and the team at Colossal Bioscience are doing pushes boundaries\u2014and not everyone is cheering from the sidelines.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI think that making change is hard, and I think it requires determination. It requires thick skin,\u201d he said. \u201cSome of the biggest and boldest things have had a perspective of abundance, and it\u2019s also a not-zero-sum game.<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes when you work on new things, it\u2019s scary and it\u2019s hard, and I\u2019ve been criticized a lot\u2026 I’ve been a long-term supporter of developing technologies for climate change. Yet I have a lot of people that have been very kind to me for quite some time that aren’t as kind to me today as they used to be.\u201d<\/p>\n

Still, he\u2019s not backing off the mission.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In a recent interview on TechStuff\u2014the podcast from Kaleidoscope and iHeartPodcasts hosted by Oz Woloshyn\u2014Lamm offered one of his first in-depth conversations since making April headlines about de-extincting the dire wolf<\/a>. He discusses the science behind de-extinction, the ethical questions it raises, and the public criticism that followed Colossal\u2019s announcement.<\/p>\n

As Woloshyn puts it, Lamm is driven to create “arguably the most engaging, live scientific experiment ongoing in the world.”<\/p>\n

Lamm’s Dallas-based genetic engineering company made global news\u2014including here at Dallas Innovates\u2014when it released video of the pups howling<\/a>. It was touted as the sound of a species that hadn\u2019t been heard in over 12,000 years. And it sparked big questions: Were the pups really dire wolves? What is de-extinction, anyway?<\/p>\n

On the podcast, Lamm also reveals that Colossal’s woolly mammoth project is further along than most people realize. The company has already made mammoth-equivalent genetic edits in Asian elephant cells, using the same traits first tested in its woolly mouse model.<\/span><\/p>\n

“We just haven’t taken them to term,” he said.<\/p>\n

The company is also working to validate its edits using organoids\u2014growing mammoth hair in petri dishes using stem cells to model outcomes before full implantation.<\/p>\n

Alongside that progress came public pushback. Critics have accused Lamm of \u201cplaying God.\u201d He answers:<\/p>\n

\u201cI think that we play God every day. Taking cholesterol medication is a form of playing God on a personal level. Doesn\u2019t mean you shouldn\u2019t do it,\u201d he said. \u201cCutting down rainforests or overfishing the ocean is playing God. So if you define playing God as interfering with the natural order\u2014we do that all day long. So why not do it in a way that helps us develop technologies for human health care, inspires kids, and can help with conservation?\u201d<\/p>\n

He also called out what he sees as a pop culture double standard.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s interesting to me is all the people that saw Jurassic Park and say it\u2019s a movie about dinosaurs, but then don\u2019t want to call my dire wolf dire wolves. … Because those are either genetically modified frogs and birds with dino DNA in it, or they\u2019re dinosaurs, right? So this is a semantic question. It is not a scientific question.\u201d<\/p>\n

Talking about the dire wolf pups, with all the technical complexity, the emotional reality still hit home. \u201cWhen I saw them the first time, I got chill bumps. I teared up,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

That moment didn\u2019t just stay in the lab. He also showed the now-viral dire wolf video to Colossal investor and Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson\u2014on an HDMI cable, in Jackson\u2019s living room. \u201cHe was overwhelmed,\u201d Lamm said. \u201cIt\u2019s a very, very surreal experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

The company\u2019s woolly mice\u2014a genetically modified species that doesn\u2019t exist in nature\u2014were created in just one month as a proof-of-process. \u201cThey were objectively cute,\u201d Lamm joked. <\/p>\n

But, “we thought it proved our end-to-end process works really well.\u201d<\/p>\n

He says the company\u2019s process now operates at over 90% efficiency while avoiding off-target effects\u2014key to creating healthy animals without unintended consequences.<\/p>\n

The deeper motivation, though, remains the driver.<\/p>\n

The threat of extinction powers Colossal’s work, he says. In the next 25 years, half of species will either be extinct or be at least threatened with extinction. So I thought maybe there was an opportunity to build a company that we could develop tools to help conservation. Hopefully inspire kids and give people excited about science through something that was like truly a moonshot and like the Apollo Days.”<\/p>\n

And in the end, that\u2019s the reason he says he keeps going.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the end of the day, I am convicted in what I\u2019m doing and I\u2019m not afraid to do it,\u201d he said. \u201cBecause I truly believe that we need these technologies for conservation, and I think we need to also do big, bold things that will inspire the next generation so that we have more scientists and astronauts and fewer influencers.\u201d<\/p>\n

You can listen to the full TechStuff interview here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

For more of who said what about all things North Texas, <\/i>check out Every Last Word<\/i>.<\/i><\/a><\/p>\n

\n

Don’t miss what’s next. Subscribe\u00a0to\u00a0Dallas\u00a0Innovates.<\/h2>\n

Track Dallas-Fort Worth’s business and innovation landscape with our curated news in your inbox Tuesday-Thursday.<\/p>\n

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One quick signup, and you’re done.<\/p>\n
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 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In one of his first deep interviews since Colossal’s dire wolf debut made global noise, Ben Lamm joins the TechStuff podcast to talk mammoths, backlash, and why he’s not here to play it safe.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":275450,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,179949,14,15],"tags":[203249,194916,2751,194915,203245,172675,189375,204485,172498,203243,204484,199606,178045],"class_list":["post-275429","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-enterprise","category-every-last-word","category-social","category-startup","tag-american-humane-society","tag-barney-long","tag-ben-lamm","tag-beth-shapiro","tag-christopher-mason","tag-colossal-biosciences","tag-george-church","tag-iheartpodcasts","tag-kaleidoscope","tag-mark-fox","tag-oz-woloshyn","tag-peter-jackson","tag-rewild"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nThe Last Word: Colossal Biosciences' Ben Lamm on Science, Skeptics, and the Sound of a Howl » Dallas Innovates<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Ben Lamm opens up on 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Dallas Next also publishes the DALLAS\u00ae publications in partnership with the DRC. Dallas Innovates' sister publications include the DALLAS\u00ae Regional Economic Development Guide, the DALLAS\u00ae Relocation + Newcomers Guide, and the\u00a0DALLAS\u00ae Commercial Real Estate, which is a partnership with the DRC and The Real Estate Council. \\\"It's hard to say no to Quincy Preston when she believes in something,\\\" wrote D CEO Editor Christine Perez in the magazine. \\\"She won't stop until she makes it happen.\\\" In a previous role at D Magazine Partners, Preston incubated Dallas Innovates and published the DRC's brand publications. There, she also led the launch of D Healthcare Daily at D CEO and the launch of D TV. Preston developed data solutions to provide insights and measurement for growth across D Magazine Partners brands. Preston has worn many hats in her media career, including stints as a writer, photographer, and award-winning designer. 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Critics have challenged the label, but Lamm calls it \u201ca semantic question, not a scientific one.\u201d [Photo: Colossal Biosciences]"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/dallasinnovates.com\/the-last-word-colossal-biosciences-ben-lamm-on-science-skeptics-and-the-sound-of-a-howl\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/dallasinnovates.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"The Last Word: Colossal Biosciences’ Ben Lamm on Science, Skeptics, and the Sound of a Howl"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/dallasinnovates.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/dallasinnovates.com\/","name":"Dallas Innovates","description":"What's new + next in Dallas - Fort Worth","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/dallasinnovates.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/dallasinnovates.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/dallasinnovates.com\/#organization","name":"Dallas Innovates | Published by Dallas Next","url":"https:\/\/dallasinnovates.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/dallasinnovates.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/dallasinnovates.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Dallas-Innovates-logo-purple.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/dallasinnovates.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Dallas-Innovates-logo-purple.jpg","width":1782,"height":410,"caption":"Dallas Innovates | Published by Dallas Next"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/dallasinnovates.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dallasinnovates\/","https:\/\/x.com\/dallasinnovates","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/dallasinnovates\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/dallas-innovates"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/dallasinnovates.com\/#\/schema\/person\/31d96a1ad48d703a6b72c03a291cd710","name":"Quincy Preston","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/dallasinnovates.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a7b6237fd07da03813670ac36e1677b49e7d53f115936e2c32e5eb4a63a263e3?s=96&d=retro&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a7b6237fd07da03813670ac36e1677b49e7d53f115936e2c32e5eb4a63a263e3?s=96&d=retro&r=g","caption":"Quincy Preston"},"description":"Quincy Preston is fueled by an entrepreneurial spark and driven by mission. Preston launched the Dallas Innovates' media platform to tell the story of innovation in Dallas-Fort Worth. It was official in 2016 when the Dallas skyline turned purple for innovation. Since then, Dallas Innovates has become a must-read among business leaders and forward thinkers in North Texas. \"Our partners call us 'the tip of the spear for innovation news in North Texas,'\" she says. \"Now it's our tagline.\" The media-with-a-mission brand covers what's new and next in North Texas business. \"Our lens is lift,\" Preston says. \"We want to inspire ideas and opportunity. We're a catalyst for connections, here and beyond.\" Covering the Dallas-Fort Worth Innovation Economy \"Dallas-Fort Worth has all of the core assets that drive an innovation economy,\" Preston told D CEO about the launch. \"We felt Dallas Innovates could be the center of innovation in business in DFW, from startup to enterprise, and include all the great impact work happening here.\" One of our superpowers is our diverse economy: \"A lot of places want one thing to hang their hat on, but DFW has many centers of innovation,\" she noted. \"And the fact that small businesses can work with very large companies here as a Fortune 50 market is a huge advantage.\" Preston founded media company Dallas Next in 2021 and publishes Dallas Innovates in a collaboration with the Dallas Regional Chamber. DRC innovation and research chief Duane Dankesreiter and Dallas Innovates co-founder says it's \"the drumbeat\" for the innovation economy in the region. Dallas Next also publishes the DALLAS\u00ae publications in partnership with the DRC. Dallas Innovates' sister publications include the DALLAS\u00ae Regional Economic Development Guide, the DALLAS\u00ae Relocation + Newcomers Guide, and the\u00a0DALLAS\u00ae Commercial Real Estate, which is a partnership with the DRC and The Real Estate Council. \"It's hard to say no to Quincy Preston when she believes in something,\" wrote D CEO Editor Christine Perez in the magazine. \"She won't stop until she makes it happen.\" In a previous role at D Magazine Partners, Preston incubated Dallas Innovates and published the DRC's brand publications. There, she also led the launch of D Healthcare Daily at D CEO and the launch of D TV. Preston developed data solutions to provide insights and measurement for growth across D Magazine Partners brands. Preston has worn many hats in her media career, including stints as a writer, photographer, and award-winning designer. During her long tenure at the Dallas Business Journal, Preston managed budgets, project schedules, resources, and talent; she also developed several cost-saving and income-producing initiatives that were adopted across the ACBJ chain of more than 40 newspapers. Preston's first editorial job was working for a fashion magazine at the Dallas Apparel Mart with an office a few doors down from Lucy Billingsley, daughter of legendary real estate developer Trammell Crow. At the time, Billingsley was running the market center where she led three expansions and a ~7 million-square-foot development. It was good company to be in. Later, when Preston launched an agency that she ran through the early nineties, Billingsley helped her with tough-but-kind advice\u2014and some pivotal connections. Today, Preston helms Dallas Innovates and the DALLAS\u00ae publications group, published by Dallas Next for the Dallas Regional Chamber. The growing DALLAS\u00ae platform includes sister publication Dallas Innovates. Together they focus on Dallas-Fort Worth business, including real estate, relocation, economic development, and innovation. Connect on social media: LinkedIn, Twitter\u00a0 Send news and tips here.","sameAs":["http:\/\/www.dallasinnovates.com","https:\/\/x.com\/quincypreston"],"url":"https:\/\/dallasinnovates.com\/author\/quincy-preston\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dallasinnovates.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/275429","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dallasinnovates.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dallasinnovates.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dallasinnovates.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dallasinnovates.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=275429"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dallasinnovates.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/275429\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dallasinnovates.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/275450"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dallasinnovates.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=275429"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dallasinnovates.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=275429"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dallasinnovates.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=275429"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}