In a groundbreaking collaboration poised to revolutionize conservation genetics, Illumina, a global leader in DNA sequencing technology, has announced a strategic partnership with the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance to sequence the Frozen Zoo®, a repository that holds the world’s most diverse and comprehensive collection of genetic samples from endangered and threatened species. This alliance aims to sequence up to 4,000 unique individual animals spanning 1,300 species, providing an unprecedented genomic window into biodiversity preserved over the past five decades. By integrating advanced multiomic technologies with decades-old biological samples, this initiative seeks to generate insights crucial to wildlife medicine, evolutionary biology, and global biodiversity preservation.
The Frozen Zoo®, established in 1975 by Dr. Kurt Benirschke, epitomizes pioneering biobanking efforts dedicated to wildlife conservation. Housing over 11,500 cryogenically preserved samples—including cells, embryos, and gametes from a broad taxonomic array of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, plants, marine invertebrates, and insects—this biobank operates at the cutting edge of ex situ biodiversity preservation. Stored at an ultra-low temperature of minus 320 degrees Fahrenheit in liquid nitrogen, these samples have long been a safeguard against the accelerating loss of genetic diversity worldwide. Illumina’s sequencing of the Frozen Zoo®’s archives integrates this invaluable material with next-generation genomic platforms, thereby ushering in a new era of data-driven conservation strategies.
The undertaking involves whole-genome sequencing, a comprehensive approach that deciphers the complete DNA sequence of an organism’s genetic material. This method furnishes detailed information about the genetic variation harbored within species populations, providing critical data essential for understanding evolutionary trajectories, adaptation mechanisms, and the genetic basis of disease susceptibility. In the context of conservation biology, whole-genome data enable scientists to assess genetic diversity, infer population structure, and inform breeding programs to minimize inbreeding and bolster species resilience. The collaboration highlights the potency of leveraging cutting-edge sequencing to transform static biobanked samples into dynamic resources for active conservation research.
Beyond standard genomic sequencing, the partnership will utilize multiomic technologies—integrative approaches that combine genomics with other molecular data layers such as transcriptomics, proteomics, and epigenomics. These techniques enable a multi-dimensional understanding of biological systems, revealing how genes are expressed, regulated, and interact within an organism’s cellular context. Applying multiomics to the Frozen Zoo® samples allows for in-depth exploration of species-specific physiological responses, disease mechanisms, and adaptive traits at molecular resolutions hitherto unattainable. This technical advance bolsters the analytical toolkit available to conservation geneticists, supporting more holistic and predictive models of species health and viability.
The timing of this initiative is particularly salient amid a global biodiversity crisis marked by unprecedented habitat loss, climate change, and human-driven environmental pressures. Conservation science increasingly acknowledges that preserving genetic diversity is paramount to species survival and ecosystem stability. Traditional conservation measures often lack the resolution to detect subtle but consequential genetic erosion. Illumina’s sequencing endeavors aim to fill this knowledge gap by transforming preserved genetic material into actionable genomic datasets that can guide targeted conservation interventions, facilitate habitat management, and underpin policy decisions worldwide.
Illumina’s global head of Advanced Sciences, Cande Rogert, articulated the significance of this project, noting that it exemplifies how advanced biotech can activate the latent potential of biobanked biodiversity. By harnessing scalable and high-throughput multiomic platforms, the partnership sets a new standard for conservation genomics, simultaneously expanding the accessibility of genomic data and advancing methodological rigor for non-human species. The project’s ambition underscores a crucial paradigm shift—from merely conserving specimens to unlocking their genomic narratives and applying these insights to real-world conservation challenges.
One of the vital components of this project is its integration with the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Species Survival Commission, wherein the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance functions as a Center for Species Survival. This relationship amplifies the collaboration’s global conservation impact by fostering a network of conservationists who can leverage genomic data to prioritize efforts, monitor genetic health, and elevate species-specific and ecosystem-level management. The availability of whole-genome sequencing data generated by Illumina will enhance this network’s capacity to conduct collaborative research, thereby democratizing access to critical genomic resources.
The data generated are also expected to validate and refine multiomic workflows in conservation contexts. Developing and standardizing robust methodologies adaptable to a diversity of taxa is indispensable, given the technical challenges associated with sequencing wildlife samples—such as limited sample quality, genomic complexity, and the need for high-throughput yet cost-effective analysis pipelines. The partnership is hence a pilot for scalable multiomic applications that can be replicated globally, overcoming barriers between genomic technology and biodiversity conservation.
Highlighting the real-world application of these technologies, Illumina’s iConserve program recently showcased a project with the koala populations managed by the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. Koalas are vulnerable to retroviral infections that contribute to cancer incidence, posing formidable challenges for veterinary management both in captivity and in situ. By conducting high-coverage whole-genome sequencing of 91 koalas, sampled longitudinally over several decades, researchers unearthed detailed viral integration patterns within koala genomes. This genomic data enabled the derivation of genetic risk scores and longevity breeding indices, offering predictive frameworks to mitigate cancer risk and optimize breeding decisions—an impressive demonstration of genomics directly influencing species health management.
The Frozen Zoo® collaboration thus represents an expansion of Illumina’s commitment to conservation genomics, complementing prior initiatives such as lemur conservation in Madagascar and elephant genetic mapping in Africa. These projects have collectively emphasized the transformative role genomic data plays in understanding population dynamics, genetic diversity, and disease susceptibility within endangered species, aligning with global conservation priorities. By scaling these efforts through intensive sequencing and data sharing, Illumina and the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance are enveloping a broad spectrum of species with genomic stewardship.
From a technical perspective, sequencing decades-old biobank samples presents unique challenges, including DNA degradation, contamination, and low quantity. Illumina’s proprietary sequencing platforms, with high accuracy and sensitivity, coupled with advances in library preparation and bioinformatics pipelines, are designed to address these issues. Furthermore, integrating bioinformatic algorithms for detecting structural variants, transposable elements, and epigenetic modifications magnifies the interpretive power of generated data, enabling conservationists to uncover subtle genetic signatures critical to species survival.
The intersection of cryopreservation and genomic sequencing offers a formidable synergy. While cryobanking secures the physical genetic material for future use, sequencing unlocks its informational content, enabling immediate application in research and conservation. This dual approach facilitates predictive conservation, where historical genetic data can inform present-day strategies to mitigate threats and optimize genetic diversity. It is a transformative leap from static biobanks toward dynamic, data-rich repositories that can inform conservation strategies at ecological and molecular scales.
This collaboration also carries profound implications for preserving evolutionary potential. By characterizing genetic variation comprehensively, scientists can identify adaptive alleles and population-specific genetic architectures that underpin resilience to environmental changes. Such knowledge is invaluable for reintroduction programs, where genetically informed decisions can enhance survival prospects and ecosystem integration. Moreover, understanding genetic bottlenecks and founder effects through genomic data helps refine conservation priorities and resource allocation.
In conclusion, the partnership between Illumina and the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance exemplifies the fusion of technology and conservation imperative. By sequencing the Frozen Zoo®, they are not only preserving the genetic legacies of 1,300 species but also empowering conservationists with a molecular atlas indispensable for tackling biodiversity loss. The project heralds a new epoch where genomic technologies underpin conservation decisions, wildlife health monitoring, and ecological research, promising to strengthen global efforts to safeguard endangered species in an increasingly fragile world.
Subject of Research: Conservation genomics and multiomic sequencing of endangered species from the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s Frozen Zoo®
Article Title: Illumina and San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Partner to Unlock Genomic Secrets of the Frozen Zoo®
News Publication Date: February 3, 2026
Web References:
- https://www.illumina.com/company/news-center/feature-articles/sequencing-to-save-the-lemurs.html
- https://www.illumina.com/company/news-center/feature-articles/iconserve-elephants.html
- https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-66312-8
- https://sdzwa.org/frozen-zoo
Keywords: Conservation genetics, endangered species, biodiversity conservation, biodiversity loss, genome sequencing, genomic DNA
