Our Team
Aaron Edwards, MSc2, MBA
Co-Founder, CEO ​
With a decade in cellular immunotherapy, Aaron has driven advancements in CAR-T and TCR-T therapies at bluebird bio, Beam Therapeutics (BEAM-201), Eli Lilly, and more. With a Harvard MS/MBA blending science and business, he leads KiraGen Bio’s mission to develop next-generation multiplex-edited cell therapies, overseeing strategy, fundraising, and partnerships.
Tessa Green, PhD
AI Scientist, Head of Immunoinformatics
A biophysicist and data scientist specializing in single-cell transcriptomics and machine learning, Tessa developed scPerturb, a statistical tool for perturbation analysis published in Nature Methods. At Harvard Medical School, she built computational tools for single-cell analysis, generative models, and immunology research. At KiraGen Bio, she leads AI-driven approaches for optimizing gene edits and enhancing CAR-T therapies.
Gabriella Lime, MS
Scientist
With an MS in Molecular and Cell Biology from Brandeis, Gabriella specializes in gene editing. She has advanced RNA, DNA, and base editing at Beam, Aera, Prime Medicine, and Mammoth Biosciences, optimizing CRISPR and CAR-T systems for ocular, immunology, and oncology applications. At KiraGen Bio, she continues her work in therapeutic gene editing, advancing CAR-T for solid tumors.
Ryan Murray, PhD
Co-Founder, CSO
Ryan drives KiraGen Bio’s research strategy, pioneering next-generation CAR-T therapies for solid tumors. With a decade in cellular engineering at bluebird bio and Beam Therapeutics (BEAM-201), his expertise spans synthetic biology, tumor immunosuppression, and AI-driven gene editing. His PhD from Northeastern focused on overcoming TME-mediated resistance in NSCLC, shaping KiraGen’s approach to tackling solid tumors.
MarkVic Naniong
Associate Director of Platform Development
MarkVic Naniong brings a decade of biotech experience in CMC development for gene editors, allo CAR-T, and iPSC-derived therapies. At Tome Biosciences, he led iPSC process development, and at Beam Therapeutics, he contributed to BEAM-201’s clinical advancement. Now at KiraGen, he applies his expertise in CMC and platform development to drive R&D and clinical programs.
Avery Houston, BS
Associate Scientist
A biotechnology researcher specializing in T-cell engineering and multiplexed gene editing, Avery has contributed to CAR-T optimization at Chroma Medicine, immune modulation at Dragonfly Therapeutics, and process development at RegenX and Homology Medicines. At KiraGen Bio, he advances CAR-T engineering, target screening, and functional assay development.
Our Advisors
Dr. Donald O’Rourke, MD
Professor of Neurosurgery, University of Pennsylvania
Dr. Donald O’Rourke is a leading neurosurgeon and glioblastoma researcher at the University of Pennsylvania, where he directs the Glioblastoma Translational Center of Excellence. He founded Penn’s Human Brain Tumor Tissue Bank, enabling pivotal research into brain tumor biology. A pioneer in brain cancer immunotherapy, he led the first-in-human trial of EGFRvIII-directed CAR T cell therapy for glioblastoma, setting a benchmark for the field. At KiraGen Bio, he provides strategic guidance on advancing and translating cutting-edge CAR T cell therapies for solid tumors.
Jimmie Ye, PhD
Arc Institute Core Investigator
Associate Professor, UCSF
Affiliate Investigator, Gladstone Institutes
Dr. Jimmie Ye is a leader in genomics, immunology, and computational biology, advising KiraGen Bio on applying high-dimensional “omics” data to optimize engineered cell therapies. At UCSF, the Gladstone Institutes, and the Arc Institute, he researches the molecular basis of immune-related diseases and variation in immune cell function. His work in single-cell and spatial transcriptomics has produced the largest reference dataset of human immune cell biology, informing new strategies for cancer, autoimmunity, and infectious diseases. With a PhD from UC San Diego and postdoctoral training at the Broad Institute, he has developed computational tools that decode immune cell behavior.