Megan Blewett, PhD

2011 Hertz Fellow
Find me on LinkedIn

Megan Blewett is the co-founder and President of Iris Medicine, whose mission is to develop genetically targeted treatments for neurodegenerative disorders.

Prior to Iris, Megan co-founded Kelonia Therapeutics, a company advancing tissue-specific gene delivery. Megan was previously a venture capital investor at Venrock with an emphasis on therapeutics and biotech company creation.

Megan earned a PhD in chemistry as a Hertz fellow with Benjamin Cravatt at The Scripps Research Institute. Her PhD work helped form the foundation of Vividion, which was acquired by Bayer in 2021. Megan received her AB/AM from Harvard, where she conducted research in the lab of Novel laureate EJ Corey. She has been named to the Forbes 30 under 30 list for Healthcare and Business Insider’s Under 40 in Biotech.

In addition to her work in biotech, Megan serves on the Board of two non-profits, Convergent Research and Pioneer Labs, that are dedicated to advancing early-stage research in areas of high unmet need.

Hertz Foundation Role

Fellowships and Programs Council

Graduate Studies

The Scripps Research Institute
Chemistry
Chemoproteomic Mapping of Electrophile-Sensitive Cysteine Residues in Human Health and Disease

Undergraduate Studies

Harvard University

Awards

2018, Forbes “30 Under 30: Science”, Forbes

Related News

Dec 15, 2023
The Path Forward — A Letter from the President
The challenges facing our nation and world are tangible and urgent. Yet, Hertz Foundation President Robbee Kosak believes there is a path forward — and it requires our shared commitment.
Nov 21, 2023
Science Philanthropy: Why Progress Depends on Funding
Hertz Fellows Megan Blewett, Adam Marblestone, and Sam Rodriques are working together to advance not just scientific research, but also how it’s funded.
May 18, 2021
Fannie and John Hertz Foundation Announces 2021 Graduate Fellows
From improving treatments for cancer to investigating rising sea levels, the 2021 Hertz Fellows will address the most pressing challenges facing society.
Nov 13, 2018
Three Fellows Win 2019 Forbes “30 Under 30” Honors
Forbes’ 2019 “30 Under 30” list includes three Hertz Fellows leading the way in healthcare innovation: Megan Blewett, Kyle Loh and Cameron Myhrvold.
Sep 28, 2018
Newman Award Q&A: The Founders of Indicator
In 2018, one of the four ventures awarded funding by the prize was Indicator, led by Hertz Fellows Megan Blewett, Ashvin Bashyam, and Aman Sinha, and their teammates Justin Norden and John Cannon.
Jul 17, 2015
Megan Blewett, Hertz Fellow, Explores Multiple Sclerosis Treatments
Megan Blewett, Hertz Fellow 2011, is working to understand the autoimmune disorder multiple sclerosis (MS) by combining chemistry and immunology to study the most commonly prescribed drugs for this disease. Megan Blewett is a PhD student in chemistry at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California.

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