The goal of the Catalyst Science Fund is to advance the development of new biotechnology tools to help solve conservation’s most intractable problems. Launched in 2018 with a 3-year pledge of $1 million annually from biotech company Promega, the Catalyst Science Fund is designed to hasten impactful innovations in conservation. A key barrier to the adoption of genomic solutions by the conservation community has been the lack of success stories. To that end, we created the Catalyst Science Fund to support early-stage, transformative bio-science research and proof-of-concept projects. Now at over $20 million, the fund continues to create new avenues for the successful restoration of wildlife through the application of biotechnology innovation.
Strategy
We are living in a time of unprecedented advances in biotechnology in the fields of medicine and agriculture. At Revive & Restore, we believe that biotechnology can also create opportunities for solving some of conservation’s most challenging problems, including genetic bottlenecks, wildlife diseases, climate change, and invasive species. The approach we take with the Catalyst Science Fund is to support proof-of-concept projects that translate advanced biotechnologies to wildlife conservation applications that currently lack viable solutions. Our projects come with a lot of technical risk, but offer the potential of major rewards for the future of species restoration.
RECENTLY AWARDED
Guidelines
Please note, the Catalyst Science Fund accepts only invited proposals. To be considered for an invitation, follow these detailed guidelines.
Bioethics
Revive & Restore is committed to advancing the science of genetics and biotechnology for conservation applications in a safe, open, and ethical manner. The existing and developing technologies of the genetic rescue tool kit have tremendous potential to address increasingly troubling threats to biodiversity. However, we must also be vigilant to protect against unintended consequences. Revive & Restore evaluates the potential biosecurity risks of all of our projects and, as necessary, seeks safeguards that address any ethical concerns that could be associated with the development and use of genetic technologies for wildlife conservation. All of our Catalyst Science Fund awardees will engage with our Bioethics and Biosecurity panel to receive expert advice on how to evaluate and reduce risks associated with their specific projects.
Science Advisory
Our five-member advisory helps guide funding and strategic development decisions for the Catalyst Science Fund. Learn more.
About Promega
Promega Corporation is a Madison, Wisconsin-based manufacturer of enzymes and other products for biotechnology and molecular biology with a portfolio covering the fields of genomics, protein analysis and expression, cellular analysis, drug discovery and genetic identity. The organization supports the Catalyst Science Fund through its corporate giving program.
