Molly Kaeding

First employee and scientist at Junevity, a VC backed biotech founded in 2023 focused on developing novel siRNA therapeutics for cellular rejuvenation and metabolic disease. • Co-inventor and co-lead scientist on novel siRNA JUN-01 for type 2 diabetes entering Phase 1 clinical trials in Q4 2026 (patent pending). • Co-inventor and co-lead scientist on novel siRNA JUN-02 for obesity in late stage preclinical development (patent pending). • Co-led an external discovery collaboration with Novo Nordisk to identify and characterize novel metabolic gene targets, integrating multi-assay screening data to evaluate therapeutic relevance and prioritize candidates for downstream development. • Set up wet lab space from scratch, on-boarding and optimizing 47 different assays, analysis tools, and processing pipelines for in vitro and in vivo work • Developed and optimized 2D culture (hPSCs, primary cells, and immortalized) and 3D organoid liver model systems to recapitulate diabetic, cirrhotic, and neurodegenerative disease states, enabling high-throughput screening of novel therapeutic candidates. • Designed and executed multi-assay screening workflows integrating metabolic (Seahorse), proteomic (MSD/ELISA), and imaging readouts to characterize compound efficacy. • Synthesized complex multi-program data into actionable insights and strategic recommendations, presenting findings weekly to executive leadership to inform program direction and key decision points.

• Manufactured clinical-grade NK cell therapeutics under GMP/GLP/GDP requirements in support of Phase I/II NK cell oncology trials targeting hematologic malignancies. • Co-led commissioning of a commercial GMP suite, including: personnel training, equipment installation and IQ/OQ, batch record and SOP writing, process refinement and tech transfer collaborations with PD/MSAT, suite environmental monitoring.

• Supported over 70 clinical trials by manufacturing GMP-compliant cell therapy products for standard-of-care and investigational studies. • Led the onboarding of a TCRa/b and CD19 Depleted T-cell clinical trial including writing, optimization, and implementation of SOPs, training fellow technologists on protocols, and corresponding with the clinical team on trial progress. • Collaborated and compiled data for IND reports and submissions. • Served as a key clinical-research liaison, collaborating daily with patients, trial directors, physicians, Clinical Research Coordinators (CRCs), and National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) coordinators to support complex cell therapy workflows.

• Supported NASA spaceflight biology research by developing a whole-blood Oxford Nanopore sequencing platform for in-flight infectious disease diagnostics — one of the first applications of portable sequencing technology in a spaceflight context. • Used 10X Genomics Single Cell Sequencing to elucidate gene expression changes in stem cells in response to mechanostimulation. • Analyzed experimental data and contributed to collaborative scientific discussions, informing future experimental design and strategic direction.

• Assisted in the development of infectious disease assays and GeneXpert product launch for tuberculosis diagnostics. • Managed infectious patient samples while ensuring compliance with HIPAA regulations. • Designed and executed a false positive detection study on the GeneXpert platform to assess assay sensitivity and reliability.

• Collaborated with the research and development team to create an assay for leukemia prognosis. • Designed and executed experiments utilizing PCR, digital PCR, and qPCR techniques. • Contributed experimental data that supported the company's FDA submission, helping advance an assay to Phase III clinical trials.

• Collaborated with the research and development team to create T and B cell diagnostic assays. • Focused on determining the likelihood of relapse in leukemia patients through innovative assay development. • Utilized techniques such as PCR and gel electrophoresis, enhancing lab skills and technical expertise.