This Female Scientist Brought The Dire Wolf Back From Extinction

Women make up 43.1% of scientists in the U.S. workforce, yet they account for just 34% of the broader STEM fields, according to the National Science Foundation. Within these industries, many have faced sexual harassment or undue criticism throughout their careers, especially as their work garners public attention. The numbers—and the stories—are sobering.

Enter Dr. Beth Shapiro, a powerhouse in genomic science. She has directed her own lab at the UC Santa Cruz, authored critically acclaimed books and previously held the prestigious title of HHMI Investigator. Now, as the Chief Science Officer at Colossal Biosciences, a groundbreaking company leading the charge in de-extinction, Shapiro is guiding a predominantly female team to reshape the future of conservation and genomics.

While leaving academia wasn’t an easy decision for Shapiro, she has gone on to work on some of the most exciting projects in her career. Last year, she made history when she brought the dire wolf back from extinction. On October 1, 2024, the first two dire wolf pups, Romulus and Remus, were born; on January 31, 2025, a third dire wolf named Khaleesi was welcomed into the world.

“What conservation needs is bold ideas and bold action. This breakthrough showcases that humans are capable of both. We can use biotechnologies to speed up the processes of selection and adaptation,” she said in a statement on the Colossal website. “With the successful birth of Colossal’s dire wolf, we are one step closer to a world in which these tools are among those at our disposal to help species thrive in their rapidly changing habitats.”

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