Leen Kawas

Biography

Dr. Kawas has led the company in business and financial growth through two oversubscribed financing rounds. The funds raised will support and accelerate growth of the company and take the lead candidate through the early stages of human testing. For her leadership and accomplishments at M3 Biotechnology, Dr. Kawas won Entrepreneur of the Year award from the Association of Washington Business (December 2016), was selected as one of EY’s Winning Women Entrepreneur (November 2016), won the 40 under 40 award from the Puget Sound Business Journal (July 2016), was an Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist for EY (June 2016) and a Young Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist for GeekWire (June 2016). She was named one of Seattle’s Most Influential People by Seattle Magazine (November 2015) and one of the Women to Watch in Life Sciences by the Washington Biotechnology and Biomedical Association (July 2015). As a company, M3 Biotechnology was also just named as one of Seattle’s 10 hottest startups by GeekWire in 2016. She also serves on multiple boards, including the Washington Governor’s Life Science Advisory Board and the Scientific Review Board for the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation. Dr. Kawas earned a doctorate in molecular pharmacology from Washington State University in 2011, and received the Harriett B. Rigas and Karen DePauw awards for academic achievement and leadership skills. She holds a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD.) from the University of Jordan (2008). Dr. Kawas also completed the Executive Training Program at the Foster School of Business, University of Washington (2014). 

Research Interest

Molecular pharmacology