How this alumnus is working to bring animals like the dire wolf and the woolly mammoth back from extinction

As chief financial officer at Colossal Biosciences, Sam Singer ’87, MSF ’96 is just as invested in the science the biotech and genetic engineering company is doing as he is in the financial strategy. It’s not surprising. Colossal Biosciences, one of Time’s 100 most influential companies of 2025, is pioneering species de-extinction and environmental conservation — with the dire wolf recently restored and the woolly mammoth up next.

Singer, who majored in Accounting, first entered the biotech sector as an equity research analyst. His motivation for working as an investor became deeply personal when he lost both his parents to cancer during his teenage years and early adulthood. “As an investor, I came to appreciate the science and research focused on developing therapies for devastating diseases, particularly cancer,” he says. “I realized I could indirectly help patients by supporting investment strategies that provide funding for this vital science.”

“Purpose” is what made the transition to Singer’s current role so organic. “At Colossal we’re doing something that’s important for humanity,” he says. “Using gene-editing technology for de-extinction and conservation to help restore the earth’s ecosystems for a better future.”

Unexpected paths are something Singer, who began his career in public accounting, encourages. “Every role serves as a stepping stone to where you’re ultimately meant to be. Even though you may not know where that is, you’ll recognize the right opportunity when it comes. And if it’s in your DNA, go for it. You never know where it’s going to lead.”