The Lost Genome was created to bring endangered species, scientific questions and the realities of field conservation closer to everyone — including the people who never thought science was for them.
Explore collaborationThe Lost Genome began with a scientific idea and a communication problem. Academic research in genomic regulation developed by Vasco Lourenço helped inspire the project's scientific foundation. But the wider question was not limited to genetics: How can conservation reach people who will never read a scientific paper, attend an environmental conference or actively search for endangered-species research?
The Lost Genome is being developed as a multidisciplinary response. It connects scientific investigation, endangered species, field experience, human realities and audiovisual communication. Its purpose is not to simplify science until it becomes inaccurate. It is to remove the distance that often makes scientific work feel inaccessible.
Different backgrounds, different responsibilities and one shared attempt to turn a conservation idea into something significant.
The dreamer who started it all. With a bachelor's in Genetics and a mind built for connecting ideas others miss, Vasco is the one who turned a scientific curiosity into an entire mission.
The soul of the group. For Rui, his veterinary degree isn't just a qualification — it's a guiding philosophy for how he moves through life, and through this mission.
If Rui is the soul, Marta is the rational. An accomplished veterinarian in her own right, she's the one who pulls the dreamer and the soul back down to earth when the mission needs a clear head.
We commit to clear boundaries: what is known and unknown, planned work, required permissions, and how contributions are used. Animal welfare takes priority over footage. We do not misrepresent people, manufacture conflict, or distort cultural realities.