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Scientist stole trade secrets from startup that wants to bring back extinct species: bombshell suit
NY Post ^ | 11/06/2026 | Taylor Herzlich

Posted on 11/06/2026 10:57:27 AM PST by DFG

Colossal Biosciences – a futuristic startup working to bring back extinct species including the woolly mammoth – is suing one of its former scientists for allegedly stealing trade secrets and sharing the data with competing labs.

In a bombshell lawsuit filed Friday morning in Texas federal court in Austin, Colossal accused James Kehler, formerly its vice president of animal sciences and later of BioSynergy, of “dishonesty, greed, and the betrayal of the confidential science at the heart of Colossal’s mission.”

The Dallas-based firm – which has so far succeeded in creating “woolly mice” that bear woolly mammoth traits and gray wolves similar to the extinct dire wolf – claimed Kehler breached three of the contracts he signed with the company after he left for rival labs.

Forensic analysis of Kehler’s Colossal work laptop found that prior to leaving the company, he moved files containing confidential information to a personal cloud account and multiple personal devices, the suit alleged.

Colossal is being represented by Alex Spiro, the hard-charging attorney at New York law firm Quinn Emanuel, according to court documents.

Kehler did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.

As a vice president at Colossal, Kehler – who lives in Maryland – had access to the company’s most sensitive scientific information, including data on its avian programs, like work on the dodo bird and the moa, a large, wingless bird formerly found in New Zealand, according to the lawsuit.

Around April 14, 2026, after resigning from Colossal, Kehler joined Neion Bio – a competing lab – as Head of Avian Sciences and “used and disclosed Colossal trade secret and confidential information,” the suit alleged.

(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...


TOPICS: Science
KEYWORDS: aviansciences; biologists; biology; biosynergy; bombshellsuit; colossalbiosciences; direwolves; dodobird; extinction; firewolves; jameskehler; moa; neionbio; redwolf; redwolfclones; redwolves; woollymice; woolymice

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1 posted on 11/06/2026 10:57:27 AM PST by DFG
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To: DFG

He was trying to cure baldness....


2 posted on 11/06/2026 10:59:31 AM PST by gundog (The ends justify the mean tweets.)
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To: DFG

Dodgson! Dodgson! Nobody cares...


3 posted on 11/06/2026 11:03:42 AM PST by Resolute Conservative
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To: DFG

I didn’t click to read the extended article, but I wonder if this is one of those legal gray areas when it comes to intellectual property. If the scientist took materials from his employer, whether physical or digital, and shared that with competitors or a new employer, then that’s fairly cut-and-dried, if I understand the law.

However, if his former employer is trying to keep him from utilizing the knowledge and expertise that he gained on his old job, then then that should be difficult to enforce, unlike they had an enforceable NDA and non-complete contract.


4 posted on 11/06/2026 11:08:21 AM PST by z3n (Kakistocracy)
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To: DFG
I'd like to see them bring back the Passenger Pigeon instead. And the Dodo bird too.
Maybe the Ivory Billed Woodpecker also. Give us the bird.
5 posted on 11/06/2026 11:14:36 AM PST by Governor Dinwiddie ( O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is gracious, and his mercy endures forever. — Psalm 106)
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To: DFG
Why not just sell the mice as status symbol pets?


6 posted on 11/06/2026 11:21:44 AM PST by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is opinion or satire. Or both.)
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To: DFG

I saw a documentary about this, where people did this with dinosaurs on an island in Central America.

It didn’t end well for the people involved.


7 posted on 11/06/2026 11:21:59 AM PST by PGR88
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To: DFG

Hegseth approached that lab to see if they could bring back tough drill sergeants.


8 posted on 11/06/2026 11:22:28 AM PST by ansel12 (Cats wouldn't text you, but pray that dogs never learn how to text.)
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To: DFG

Yup!


9 posted on 11/06/2026 11:25:18 AM PST by Honorary Serb (Kosovo is Serbia! Free Srpska! Abolish ICTY!)
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To: gundog
He was trying to cure baldness....

So far no luck with that, but he HAS grown a tail.

10 posted on 11/06/2026 12:03:07 PM PST by The Sons of Liberty (In the 50s & 60s the saying was "The only good commie is a _ _ _ _ commie!")
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To: DFG

The secret to cloning sheep got out when they made “Dolly,” and the secret recipe for woolly mammoths is bound to get out, too. If/when they succeed, it’s only a matter of time before somebody starts selling safaris to shoot your own woolly mammoth.

There’s no laws against hunting an extinct species and AFAIK no state authorizes it’s game & fish folk to regulate anything other than “native” or migratory species. Those fellas in Texas with those high-fence hunting preserves might have to shore up their fences but they could recoup that cost pretty quickly with seven (or eight) figure trophy fees.


11 posted on 11/06/2026 12:31:09 PM PST by Paal Gulli
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To: DFG

Spared no expense!


12 posted on 11/06/2026 12:45:29 PM PST by BBB333
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To: DFG
“dishonesty, greed, and the betrayal of the confidential science at the heart of Colossal’s mission.”

This is one of the most ecologically destructive 'missions' in the history of environmental sciences. It will be a winfall for exotic invasions. It will be used to lock up resources, creating artificial shortages, higher prices, and therefore fatter profits for existing "producers."

No wonder it's secret.

13 posted on 11/06/2026 12:47:19 PM PST by Carry_Okie (The tree of liberty needs a rope.)
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To: DFG

Cool, I hope they bring back the velociraptor...


14 posted on 11/06/2026 12:54:05 PM PST by dinodino ( Shut it down anyway. )
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To: ansel12

LOL!


15 posted on 11/06/2026 1:24:21 PM PST by centermass_socrates (Buy your ammo now, while you can. Get an FRT while you're at it.)
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To: DFG

which has so far succeeded in creating “woolly mice” that bear woolly mammoth traits....

I hope they don’t grow too much bigger. My mouse traps can only handle so much mouse. It also looks like those mice need mousse to keep the “wooly” under control.


16 posted on 11/06/2026 1:28:17 PM PST by centermass_socrates (Buy your ammo now, while you can. Get an FRT while you're at it.)
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To: DFG

Man didn’t wipe out the woolly mammoth. God did. God must have wanted it that way. They will be bringing things back and then protecting them and their habitat. The Taradactyl’s will be next.


17 posted on 11/06/2026 2:26:27 PM PST by Revel
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To: DFG

This is what will happen to the guy...

Dilophosaurus Attacks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZurElWMG26w


18 posted on 11/06/2026 3:16:13 PM PST by minnesota_bound (Making money now. Still want much more.)
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To: DFG

If Jurassic Park had a $10 Budget - Full Movie

https://youtu.be/0F6-XUSryXc?is=f6R-4Ie2ofSOF_pn


19 posted on 11/06/2026 5:12:25 PM PST by fishtank (The denial of original sin is the root of liberalism.)
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To: DFG

Maybe they can bring back Republicans with spines.


20 posted on 11/06/2026 5:15:35 PM PST by dfwgator ("I am Charlie Kirk!")
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