Funding and support
Current funding
Our work on the thylacine de-extinction is generously supported by the Wilson Family Trust. Their transformative donation has enabled us to establish the Thylacine Integrated Genetic Restoration Research Lab – TIGRR Lab. A world-class research centre for marsupial conservation and de-extinction science.
A message from our donor: Wilson Family Trust Gift
We came across Andrew’s incredible work, believe it or not, via some YouTube clips with Andrew talking about his research and passion for the thylacine and Australian marsupials.
The story of the thylacine and it’s unceremonious exit from this world touched us. Hunted to extinction in the wild by humans in the 19th and 20th centuries before ending with the last breathing thylacine dying behind bars then having its body tossed into a dump bin out the back of the zoo is devastating and unjust.
We realise that we are on the verge of a great break through in science through improvements in technology and it’s application to the genome. It is exciting to realise we are within reach of cloning the thylacine.
The improvements in application and understanding of the genome from the tiggr lab will have benefits for the conservation of a wide range of unique Australian marsupials. From there repopulation of koala species threatened from bush fires as our environment warms to cane toad resistance in small marsupials the benefits of this open research will be wide and varied.
We want to thank Andy and the team for bringing this project together and we are excited to be a part of the discoveries over the next 10 years.
We are currently supported by the Wilson Family Trust and Australian Research Council to pursue our work on the development of the dunnart as an important model system for marsupial conservation genetics and biology and to support our work on the developmental biology of the thylacine.
If you would like to support our research you can donate below. All donations are appreciated, whether as small as a mouse or as large as a “TIGRR”.