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"There was something else there that I needed to keep searching for... and that's a theme in my life."
In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, we explore the formative journey of Aaron Edwards, Co-founder and CEO of KiraGen Bio, as he shares how curiosity, conviction, and challenging convention led him from a small town in Kentucky to the forefront of biotech innovation in Boston. Aaron reflects on his upbringing with pharmacist parents, the impact of early mentors, and the pivotal experiences that shaped his leadership style and scientific vision.
Listeners will hear how Aaron’s path was shaped by balancing competitive athletics with academic pursuits, navigating personal identity in a close-knit community, and seizing opportunities that broadened his perspective beyond traditional career paths. From his first wet lab experience with butterfly genetics to transformative internships in cancer research, Aaron’s story is one of resilience, self-discovery, and a relentless drive to make a difference in oncology.
Key topics covered:

• Early Curiosity & Upbringing: Sparked a passion for science in rural Kentucky with pharmacist parents and inspiring teachers.
• Visibility & Identity: Navigated being a gay student in a small town, seeking authentic environments.
• Academic & Athletic Balance: Learned discipline and leadership by balancing competitive swimming with rigorous academics.
• Formative Research Experiences: Gained direction from hands-on internships in cancer research and translational science.
• Leadership & Company Building: Drew lessons from biotech roles and business school to shape a people-first, adaptable leadership style.

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Subscribe to the Podcast:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ 
Find our guest, Aaron Edwards, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aedwards02/ Website: https://www.kiragenbio.com/  Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee
Learn more about Excedr:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com
Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr:Website: https://flow.page/kyojin 
Resources & Articles:The Velvet Rage https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Velvet_RagePsychological Safety https://amycedmondson.com/psychological-safety/ Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity https://www.phikappatau.org/ Governor’s Scholars Program https://gsp.ky.gov/Pages/index.aspx Emerging Technologies Attracting VC Investment in Life Sciences https://www.excedr.com/blog/emerging-technologies-attracting-vc-investment-in-life-sciences 
Companies, Universities, & People mentioned:Bluebird Bio https://www.bluebirdbio.com/ Beam Therapeutics https://beamtx.com/ Moffitt Cancer Center https://www.moffitt.org/ 
Matthew Klooster https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-klooster-87498510/Amy Edmondson https://www.linkedin.com/in/amycedmondson/  
Timestamps:00:00 Intro03:50 Aaron's Background and Early Curiosity in Science07:15 Growing Up with Pharmacist Parents and Asking Questions11:55 Kentucky Science and Math Academy Experience15:11 Visibility, Identity, and College Choices19:01 Balancing Athletics and Academics21:21 Summer Research Internships at Moffitt Cancer Center25:15 First Wet Lab Experience and Western Blots28:36 Connecting Research to Patient Impact33:20 Early Biotech Experience at Bluebird Bio43:43 Harvard Business School and Case Method Learning48:04 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.