Dr. Beth Shapiro: Leading Colossal’s Dire Wolf De‑Extinction Breakthrough

As Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Shapiro spearheaded Colossal’s genetic engineering effort to birth living descendants of the extinct dire wolf.

BY Emma Kershaw

Forbes profiles Dr. Beth Shapiro, Colossal’s Chief Scientific Officer and veteran of ancient DNA research, as the driving force behind the company’s groundbreaking dire wolf revival. Leveraging decades of expertise—from her UC Santa Cruz lab and prior work sequencing extinct species—Shapiro led the ambitious project to recreate dire wolf traits through precise genome editing. The result: Romulus, Remus, and Khaleesi, the first pups bred from gray wolf surrogates with 20 targeted edits mimicking dire wolf characteristics . Born in late 2024 and early 2025, these pups mark a scientific milestone while raising ethical and taxonomic debates . Shapiro’s leadership underscores the broader goal: to use biotechnological innovation for conservation and to open new frontiers for restoring biodiversity.

To Learn More Click Here