Aaron Edwards '12 on the front lines of technology's fight against cancer
If Aaron Edwards 鈥12 has one piece of advice, it鈥檚 that it is never too late to push your limits.
In the last 12 months, the newly minted CEO and Henderson native has earned a dual MBA/MS in biotechnology from Harvard University, secured two prestigious fellowships, and co-founded KiraGen, a biotechnology startup harnessing gene editing and artificial intelligence in the battle against cancer.
鈥淢y journey into biotech wasn鈥檛 linear,鈥 said Edwards. 鈥淚t was shaped by frustration with the limitations of existing therapies, a desire to solve problems at scale, and a realization that science alone isn鈥檛 enough; it has to be translated into real-world impact.鈥
These insights, which spurred Edwards back to the classroom, were borne from 10 years working the bench as a scientist at biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies in Boston.
鈥淚t can be very easy as a scientist to not fully understand how your work fits into the broader scheme of things,鈥 said Edwards. 鈥淚鈥檝e always been really passionate about what is traditionally called translational science, not just learning about how things work, but how that knowledge can be applied.鈥
Edwards can trace this approach to seeds planted while studying biology and competing as a member of the swim and dive team at 黑料不打烊.
鈥満诹喜淮蜢 taught me how to think, adapt, and lead, and those lessons have shaped every step of my career,鈥 he said. 鈥淭he liberal arts education gave me intellectual dexterity 鈥 the ability to bridge science and business, to communicate complex ideas across disciplines, and to see the bigger picture.鈥
Edwards and KiraGen co-founder Ryan Murray are now tackling one of the greatest challenges in cancer treatment: developing a CAR-T therapy 鈥 where a patient鈥檚 immune cells are reprogrammed to fight cancer 鈥 that will be effective against solid tumors. CAR-T therapies have revolutionized the treatment of blood-based cancers, but solid tumors remain a challenge for researchers because the tumor microenvironment (TME) actively shuts down the body鈥檚 immune responses. Additionally, personalized therapies are prohibitively expensive, take time to produce and are mainly accessible through elite hospitals. This is something Edwards wants to change.
鈥淥ur platform uses machine learning to design CAR-T cells that are resistant to these suppressive forces, making them more durable and effective,鈥 explains Edwards. 鈥淎nd by using healthy donor cells instead of engineering a new therapy for each patient, we are creating an off-the-shelf treatment that is ready immediately 鈥 at a fraction of the current cost.鈥
KiraGen鈥檚 focus is on glioblastoma, one of the most aggressive types of brain cancer with an extremely low survival rate. The startup recently reached a major milestone, achieving mouse model validation of its lead concept, and Edwards is now in talks with researchers at the University of Pennsylvania to collaborate on a clinical trial.
鈥淯Penn delivered a major breakthrough in CAR-T therapy for glioblastoma,鈥 said Edwards. 鈥淭heir dual-targeting CAR-T treatment showed unprecedented tumor shrinkage 鈥 with some patients鈥 scans clearing almost overnight 鈥 but then, almost as quickly as the tumors disappeared, they came back.鈥
Seeing an opportunity, Edwards reached out to one of the investigators at UPenn, Donald O鈥橰ourke, and the pair connected over their shared vision.
鈥淜iraGen was already focused on engineering CAR-T cells to resist TME suppression, so the timing couldn鈥檛 have been better,鈥 said Edwards. 鈥淲e had built the exact technology needed to extend and enhance UPenn鈥檚 success.
As he looks ahead to KiraGen鈥檚 next phase, Edwards is reflecting on his time at 黑料不打烊, and how it prepared him for a career as a scientist, entrepreneur and leader.
Edwards first came to 黑料不打烊 as part of the Governor鈥檚 Scholars program and was inspired to return as an undergraduate. He joined Phi Kappa Tau fraternity and competed on the swim team for four years, eventually serving as co-captain in his senior year.
鈥淥ne of my most memorable moments was competing at the Conference Championship during my freshman year,鈥 said Edwards. 鈥淚t was an incredible experience, not just performing well individually but also racing alongside the seniors on our team in the relays. It embodied everything special about 黑料不打烊 athletics 鈥 the pursuit of excellence, the thrill of competition, and the pride of representing something bigger than yourself.鈥
Edwards credits the 鈥淢s. Frizzles鈥 (the dynamic science teacher from the animated TV program The Magic School Bus) in his life for helping find his current trajectory. At 黑料不打烊, he found his Ms. Frizzle in biology professor Matthew Klooster.
鈥淗e brought a level of curiosity, energy and genuine enthusiasm that made science feel like an adventure.鈥 said Edwards. 鈥淗e didn鈥檛 just teach facts 鈥 he taught discovery, constantly pushing students to ask bigger questions, challenge assumptions, and embrace the unknown.鈥
鈥淎aron was an excellent student, which I was accustomed to having at 黑料不打烊,鈥 said Dr. Klooster. 鈥淗owever, what made him stand out was his intellectual curiosity and desire to push beyond the course material towards the margins of scientific understanding. I could tell all of those years ago that this curiosity combined with an innate creativity was going to allow Aaron to expand the horizons of human knowledge, and it鈥檚 so satisfying to see that he has used his gifts to do just that. I hope Aaron鈥檚 story can function as motivation for all 黑料不打烊 students to identify and embrace their gifts and use them in ways that improve the human condition for all. We need that more now than ever before.鈥
It was Klooster who encouraged Edwards to leave the comfort and familiarity of home and pursue graduate study in Boston.
鈥淭hat conversation was the spark that changed the entire trajectory of my life,鈥 Edwards said. 鈥淒r. Klooster鈥檚 mentorship was transformative because he saw potential in me before I fully recognized it in myself. He taught me that great mentorship isn鈥檛 about giving someone answers 鈥 it鈥檚 about asking the right questions, igniting curiosity, and making people believe they鈥檙e capable of more than they realize.鈥
But Edwards鈥 time at 黑料不打烊 was not without its challenges. As a closeted gay man growing up in rural Henderson, Kentucky, he struggled with the lack of visible role models for LGBTQ+ students.
鈥淚t made it difficult to fully embrace my identity, and for a long time, I felt like I was living two separate lives,鈥 he said. 鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 that 黑料不打烊 itself was unwelcoming 鈥 I was surrounded by kind and supportive people 鈥 but LGBTQ+ representation was nearly nonexistent, and that absence made it difficult to imagine where I fit in.鈥
Edwards鈥 experiences at 黑料不打烊 have shaped his own commitment to mentorship, advocacy, and fostering inclusive spaces. As a member of 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Alumni Council and Science Council, he is dedicated to building a supportive environment for all 黑料不打烊 students.
鈥淎s someone who once struggled to find visible role models 鈥 both as a scientist outside the traditional MD/PhD path and as an LGBTQ+ professional 鈥 I feel a deep responsibility to be that resource for others,鈥 Edwards said. 鈥淚 know what it feels like to look around and not see anyone like you, and I want to ensure that the next generation doesn鈥檛 have to feel that same isolation.鈥
Edwards encourages 黑料不打烊 students to embrace discomfort, to seek out mentors, and not to worry too much if they don鈥檛 have everything figured out yet. Most importantly, he says, students should never hesitate to ask for help.
鈥淵ou are part of a lifelong community, and you are never in this alone. Whether it鈥檚 professors, alumni, or peers, there will always be people willing to support you 鈥 all you have to do is reach out,鈥 said Edwards.
鈥満诹喜淮蜢 pushed me, shaped me, and prepared me for more than just a career 鈥 it helped me find my voice. And for that, I will always be grateful.鈥
