Beth Shapiro's Quest to Revive the Past and Save the Future
In the world of evolutionary biology, few scientists have made as significant an impact on both academic research and practical conservation as Dr. Beth Shapiro . Recently elected to the prestigious National Academy of Sciences, Shapiro has established herself as a trailblazing force in paleogenomics—the study of ancient DNA—and is now applying her expertise to one of science's most ambitious endeavors: bringing extinct species back to life. From Academic Excellence to De-Extinction Leadership
Shapiro's impressive credentials speak to a career dedicated to understanding the genetic history of our planet. A professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at UC Santa Cruz, she has been recognized as a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, an HHMI Professor, and received the MacArthur 'Genius' Fellowship in 2009. Her academic work in the Paleogenomics Lab at UC Santa Cruz has focused on using genetic material recovered from ancient remains to study evolution and track how species and ecosystems have changed over time.
Currently on leave from her university position, Shapiro serves as Chief Science Officer at Colossal Biosciences, where she has played a pivotal role in the successful de-extinction of the dire wolf —a species that disappeared approximately 12,000 years ago.
'What conservation needs is bold ideas and bold action,' Shapiro explains regarding the breakthrough. 'This breakthrough showcases that humans are capable of both. We can use biotechnologies to speed up the processes of selection and adaptation. With the successful birth of Colossal's engineered 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.' Revolutionizing Ancient DNA Analysis
Under Shapiro's scientific leadership, Colossal achieved what many considered impossible: extracting viable genetic information from dire wolf fossils dating back 13,000 and 72,000 years, then using this information to guide precision genetic engineering.
'Our novel approach to iteratively improve our ancient genome in the absence of a perfect reference sets a new standard for paleogenome reconstruction,' Shapiro notes. 'Together with improved approaches to recover ancient DNA, these computational advances allowed us to resolve the evolutionary history of dire wolves and establish the genomic foundation for de-extinction—specifically for selecting with confidence dire wolf specific genetic variants that establish our targets for gene editing.'
This methodical approach led to several significant discoveries about dire wolf evolution . Contrary to previous uncertainty, Shapiro's team confirmed that gray wolves are the dire wolves' closest living relatives, sharing 99.5% of their DNA. They also discovered that dire wolves emerged through hybridization of two ancient canid lineages between 3.5 and 2.5 million years ago, resolving longstanding questions about the species' origins. Building a Bridge Between De-Extinction and Conservation
Perhaps most significantly, Shapiro has ensured that the de-extinction technology developed for the dire wolf provides immediate benefits for endangered species conservation. The same techniques used to resurrect the dire wolf have already been applied to clone critically endangered red wolves , demonstrating how cutting-edge genomic science can directly support traditional conservation efforts.
'Functional de-extinction uses the safest and most effective approach to bring back the lost phenotypes that make an extinct species unique,' Shapiro explains. 'We turn to ancient DNA to learn as much as we can about each species and, whenever possible, to link specific extinct DNA sequence variants to each key trait. In some cases, we learn that variants already present in the surrogate species can be used to engineer that key trait.'
This thoughtful, science-based approach highlights Shapiro's commitment to both innovation and ethical considerations. Rather than rushing to recreate extinct species without considering potential genetic side effects, her team carefully evaluates each genetic modification for its broader impacts on animal health and welfare. Communicating Science to the Public
Beyond her research, Shapiro is an accomplished science communicator. Her award-winning books, including 'Life as We Made It,' explore genetic modification in the context of history, archaeology, paleontology, and genomics. This ability to translate complex scientific concepts for general audiences has made her a valuable voice in public discussions about de-extinction and conservation genetics.
Her election to the National Academy of Sciences recognizes not only her groundbreaking research but also her role in establishing new scientific frameworks that may reshape our approach to biodiversity conservation in the 21st century. The Future of Conservation Genomics
As Colossal moves forward with plans for additional de-extinction projects, including the woolly mammoth by 2028, Shapiro's scientific leadership ensures that these efforts remain grounded in rigorous research methodology and ethical considerations.
The successful revival of dire wolves isn't just a technological milestone—it's a testament to how paleogenomics, under the guidance of scientists like Shapiro, can provide new pathways for addressing biodiversity challenges. Her work represents a promising convergence of ancient DNA analysis, cutting-edge genetic engineering, and practical conservation applications that may help us preserve and even restore Earth's threatened biodiversity.
With her recent election to the National Academy of Sciences adding further validation to her innovative approach, Beth Shapiro stands as a pioneer at the frontier of what may be the next evolution of conservation science—using our understanding of the past to create new possibilities for the future.
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Medscape
2 hours ago
- Medscape
Music Strikes a Chord for Brain Health
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'Music is not a magic pill; it's not a panacea; it doesn't cure everything,' said Zatorre who is also a professor at the Montreal Neurological Institute at McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Instead, it's important to define under what circumstances music could be beneficial and in what ways. 'And that's where the research is right now' he said. Robert Zatorre, PhD One challenge is music's deeply personal nature — what resonates with one person may leave another unmoved. Variables such as culture, age, personal history, social context, and even the nature of the neurological condition can influence how someone will respond to music-based interventions, said Zatorre. Brain Rhythms and Memory Large, a former president of the Society for Music Perception and Cognition and a musician himself, believes that one of the most important messages from research is the effect that music has on the rhythm of the brain. 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New York Times
2 hours ago
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Live Updates: In Chaotic Economy, Hiring Likely Remained Steady in May
Matt Minich, who was fired from his job with the Food and Drug Administration in February, was one of thousands swept up in the mass layoffs of probationary workers at the beginning of President Trump's second administration. After Matt Minich was fired from his job with the Food and Drug Administration in February, he did what many scientists have done for years after leaving public service. He looked for a position with a university. Mr. Minich, 38, was one of thousands swept up in the mass layoffs of probationary workers at the beginning of President Trump's second administration. The shock of those early moves heralded more upheaval to come as the Department of Government Efficiency, led by the tech billionaire Elon Musk, raced through agency after agency, slashing staff, freezing spending and ripping up government contracts. 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The situation is expected to worsen as more layoffs are announced, voluntary departures mount and workers who were placed on administrative leave see the clock run out. Image More than 700 people attended a recent resource fair in Arlington, Va., to receive free consultation, professional headshots and workshops. Credit... Maansi Srivastava for The New York Times With Mr. Musk's time in Washington now done, a fuller picture of just how completely he and Mr. Trump have upended the role of government is coming into view. Federal tax dollars underpin entire professions, directly and indirectly, and the cuts led by Mr. Musk's operation have left some workers with nowhere to go. In Washington, D.C., and the surrounding area, the disruption has the hallmarks of the collapse of an industrial cluster, not unlike the disappearance of manufacturing jobs in the upper Midwest during the 2000s. Except this time, it is moving at lightning speed. In January, just as Mr. Trump was taking office, the civilian federal work force across the country had reached a post-World War II peak of 2.3 million, not including the Postal Service. Few agencies have publicly stated how many people have been fired or voluntarily resigned, but a rough count shows that federal agencies have lost some 135,000 to firings and voluntary resignation, with another 150,000 in planned reductions. Contracted and grant-funded workers — which the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta estimated to be as many as 4.6 million people — are harder to track in official data. The first contractor layoffs began in February with organizations that received funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development, like Chemonics and FHI360. As more grants and contracts that were under review across government are terminated, job cuts have gained steam. Booz Allen Hamilton, the sprawling consulting firm based in Northern Virginia that gets 98 percent of its revenue from the federal government, announced that it was cutting 7 percent of its 36,000-person staff. Even providers of Head Start, the low-income preschool program, have issued layoff notices because funding has been in doubt. While the national labor market remains stable, job loss is starting to become notable in the capital region. Unemployment rates in the District of Columbia and most of its surrounding counties have been on the rise since December. The number of people receiving unemployment insurance has been elevated in Virginia and D.C. over the past several months. Job postings in Washington have dropped across the board, according to the hiring platform Indeed, including in opportunities for administrative assistance, human resources and accounting. Local government agencies around Washington are hosting dozens of hiring events, and most of them are packed. 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'I couldn't honorably stay.' Like many of the federal workers who chose to take a deferred resignation or early retirement, one of the tools the administration has used to shrink the work force, she is on leave and will be paid through September. It is a relief, she said, because she is the sole caregiver for her mother and 15-year-old son. But the prospects do not look good. Ms. Chalmers said she expected to have to take a pay cut. She said she applied for more than 100 jobs in the week before the job fair and received several automated emails informing her that she did not get the position. For many government workers, career transitions can be especially daunting because their jobs are often extremely specific, performing functions that do not exist in the private sector. 'For a lot of them, it's almost like starting from scratch,' said Laura Moreno-Davis, a spokeswoman for WorkSource Montgomery, the work force agency for Montgomery County, Md., just outside D.C. 'If they really have a wealth of experience and knowledge, how can we best use that?' A new group formed by two former federal employees is trying to help people do that. 'How do you translate these skills that you've learned in the federal government that are so complex and seem to be so unique into something that can be communicated easily outside of the federal government?' said Julie Cerqueira, co-founder of the group, FedsForward. Ms. Cerqueira's partner, Karen Lee, said that people who worked in federal disaster recovery and resilience jobs, for example, had expertise that could easily transfer to private-sector work in contingency planning and supply chains. But it is not so simple for everyone. Chelsea Van Thof, 33, is a public health veterinarian who focused on diseases that spread from animals to humans, and humans to animals — a niche job even in government. A few weeks after the inauguration, the contract she worked under at the State Department was placed on hold for a 90-day review and ultimately terminated. Dr. Van Thof immediately lost her health insurance and took on a housemate to cover her rent. Image Chelsea Van Thof, a public health veterinarian, saw the contract she worked under at the State Department be placed on hold for a 90-day review and ultimately terminated a few weeks after President Trump's inauguration. Credit... Maansi Srivastava for The New York Times Plans for the future changed, too, as she had been counting on public-sector loan forgiveness to pay off her $250,000 in veterinary school debt, a prospect that now seems increasingly remote. She sometimes feels as though she is sending résumés into a void. 'I was just thankful when I got a rejection because it meant they saw my application,' she said. Like others in the science field, including Mr. Minich, she is looking for jobs outside the country. And in the meantime, she helped form a support group of about 80 wildlife protection conservationists who are in similar predicaments. People working on government contracts are hit especially hard because they are not eligible for the deferred resignation plans available to federal employees, and cannot look forward to their pensions. Todd Frank, of Westminster, Md., was given just a few minutes' notice before he was laid off as a technical writer on a contract with the Defense Department's science and technology directorate, helping get the appropriate gear out to military personnel in the field. Mr. Frank, 54, is now wrestling with whether to uproot his family to find a new job, which would come with steep trade-offs. His wife runs her own business — a licensed day care out of their home. His teenage sons do not want to leave their high school, he said. Lately, he is looking at the family's budget for where to make cuts. 'Not being able to buy a suit for prom sounds like rich people problems, but you don't want to turn around and tell your kid, 'You can't do this' or 'You can't do that,'' Mr. Frank said. Several states had advertised their eagerness to hire people laid off by the federal government in the early days of federal cuts. In March, Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania said the state would give hiring preference to former federal workers. Since then, the state government has received more than 7,300 applications from people who said they had federal experience, his office said, and so far, state agencies have hired 120 of them. But state jobs have gotten a lot more popular in recent months. Since March, former and current federal employees have sent in nearly 700 applications, California's human resources office said. Some states are having their own budget problems, in part brought on by uncertainty around the continuation of federal funding. Alaska, Massachusetts, Indiana, Louisiana and New Hampshire have implemented hiring freezes. Public health agencies in Ohio and Alaska have laid people off as grants were canceled. And a broad swath of universities have also paused new hires, including the University of California system, the University of Pennsylvania, and Emory University in Georgia. With the Trump administration's firings of scientists and grant cancellations from agencies including the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health, science and consulting have been hit especially hard, according to Indeed. Companies and nonprofits that helped evaluate whether federal programs were working, like American Institutes for Research, have let go up to a quarter of their payroll. Paro Sen, a research scientist in Cincinnati, was laid off in May along with most of the people in her office at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. She worked on industrial hygiene, studying worker exposures that cause chronic health problems, and visited Washington in May with her union to talk to members of Congress about the need to restore these jobs to the federal government. 'This was my dream job that I have been ripped from,' she said in an interview. Ms. Sen and her colleagues work in such a specialized field that they are competing for very few available jobs, especially if they want to stay where they are. 'The job market right now is not amazing,' said Ms. Sen, 29. 'Cincinnati is not a very big city, and you've got, suddenly, some of the smartest people in this field all applying and competing for the exact same jobs at the same time.'
