Dr. Leen Kawas received her Pharmacy degree from the University of Jordan (UJ) in 2008, her PhD degree in Molecular Pharmacology from Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, in 2011, and her Post-doctoral degree in Neuroscience from Washington State University, Pullman, in 2013.
Kawas also completed an Executive Business Training Program at the Foster School of Business, University of Washington, in 2014.
Her professional experience varies from Clinical Pharmacy, Retail Pharmacy to Research and Business Development.
Kawas is the co-inventor, President, and Chief Executive Officer of M3 Biotechnology Inc., an innovative clinical biotechnology company that works in the field of regenerative medicine.
She co-invented a drug that would slow and reverse the course of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases.
Kawas led the business and financial growth of M3 from early proof-of-concept stage towards human testing. In addition to several other research grants, she managed to raise $20M in investment funding including support from Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation to provide funding to proceed to human Clinical Trials of the drug for Alzheimer’s Diseases.
Her leadership and accomplishments at M3 has won her several awards and recognitions, including 40 under 40 in Life Science Leader (2017), PharmaVOICE 100 honoree (2017), Entrepreneur of the Year award from the Association of Washington Business (2016). She was also selected as one of EY’s Winning Women Entrepreneur (2016), 40 under 40 award from the Puget Sound Business Journal (2016), Entrepreneur of the Year for the Association of Washington Businesses, Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist for EY (2016) and a Young Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist for GeekWire (2016). Moreover, Kawas was named one of Seattle’s Most Influential People by Seattle Magazine (2015) and one of the Women to Watch in Life Sciences by the Washington Biotechnology and Biomedical Association (2015).
Furthermore, under her leadership, M3 Biotechnology was named as one of Seattle’s 10 hottest startups by GeekWire in 2016.
Kawas also serves on many boards, including the Washington Governor’s Life Science Advisory Board, the Scientific Review Board for the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation, and the Alzheimer’s Association-Washington local Chapter Board.
She lives by the principle: "Work hard, give everything your 100%, and try to find the voice of wisdom but add to it your innovative and fresh outlook".
Sharing her best advice for young aspiring students Kawas says "Always look for opportunities, and it starts at UJ". "Make sure you attend classes and take advantage of the great knowledge you can gain from your professors and peers. It is a great privilege and you will realize the value of it all when you join the work force!"