Caroline completed her BSc in Biological Sciences at UC Santa Barbara, where she discovered her passion for biomedical research. After graduating, she worked at Surrozen, where she contributed to the preclinical development of regenerative medicines for severe liver diseases. She then went on to pursue a PhD in Pharmacology at Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences. She completed her thesis work in Scott Lowe’s laboratory at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, where the overarching goal of her research was to leverage senescence biology to increase the immune ‘visibility’ of immunosuppressive cancers like pancreatic cancer. Caroline is passionate about translating biomedical discoveries into novel therapies.

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WHAT IS A HEALTHCARE ADVANCEMENT YOU HOPE TO SEE IN YOUR LIFETIME?

I hope to see technologies that enable accurate, early detection of cancer become accessible to all patients. Early detection significantly increases the chances of successful treatment, and far too many cancers are diagnosed at advanced stages. A number of companies are pursuing early pan-cancer diagnostic technologies, which will hopefully evolve into the standard of care.

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WHAT EXCITES YOU MOST ABOUT TECHBIO?

To me, the most exciting aspect of TechBio is its rapid transformation. With ‘omics’ data becoming increasingly accessible and machine learning technologies advancing swiftly, the way we discover and develop new therapies is set to accelerate dramatically. I am eager to contribute to this innovative field and help create a future where personalized medicine is the norm, treatments are tailored to individual genetic profiles, and where previously incurable diseases can be effectively managed or cured.

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FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, WHAT RECENT INNOVATION HAS HAD THE GREATEST IMPACT IN TECH/HEALTH?

From my perspective, the recent innovation that has had the greatest impact in tech/health is mRNA technology. The rapid development of COVID-19 vaccines using mRNA platforms saved countless lives and garnered global attention, but mRNA technology holds immense potential beyond infectious diseases.

Early clinical data has demonstrated that personalized mRNA vaccines can be successfully used to treat pancreatic cancer, one of the most challenging cancers to manage. mRNA technology is also poised to eliminate the need for labor-intensive and costly ex vivo cell engineering and adoptive cell therapy, making treatments more accessible and scalable. I believe mRNA is positioned to become a key treatment modality for a variety of diseases.