The Hertz Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing American scientific and technological leadership, today announced the election of Hertz Fellow Megan Blewett, investor at Scion Life Sciences, to its board of directors.
Blewett is a biotechnology entrepreneur and investor who is passionate about building high-impact therapeutics — especially for diseases that receive too little attention from traditional drug developers. She co-founded and led Iris Medicine, whose mission is to develop genetically targeted treatments for neurodegenerative disorders.
Prior to Iris, Blewett co-founded Kelonia Therapeutics, which is engineering novel lentiviruses to achieve tissue-specific delivery of gene therapies. Kelonia recently reported encouraging results from its first human patients, a milestone that she describes as a “goosebumps moment” years in the making.
Blewett is also deeply engaged in launching and incubating early-stage biotech companies. She was previously a venture capital investor at Venrock, with an emphasis on creating therapeutics and biotech companies such as Kelonia. Blewett has recently returned to venture capital, as a principal with Scion Life Sciences, which operates its own wet lab in Boston to translate promising scientific ideas into new companies.
“In joining the Hertz Foundation board, my goal is to help Hertz Fellows bring their moonshot ideas to life. Whatever the foundation is excited about, I want to help make it real.”
Blewett earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemistry from Harvard, and her doctorate in chemistry at The Scripps Research Institute, with the support of a Hertz Fellowship. Her graduate research helped form the foundation for Vividion, which was acquired by Bayer in 2021.
“Megan possesses an extraordinary ability to see bold scientific possibilities and then turn those ideas into reality,” said Stephen Fantone, chair of the Hertz Foundation Board of Directors. “Her experience launching and operationalizing breakthrough biotech ventures will bring invaluable perspective to the board.”
Blewett is a strong advocate for the Hertz community. She credits these connections with shaping the trajectory of her own career — and she actively lends her expertise to others. Blewett serves on the board of Convergent Research, founded by Hertz Fellow Adam Marblestone, building on an idea developed by Marblestone and Hertz Fellow Sam Rodriques. Together, they are working to accelerate scientific progress through new funding models.
“Megan’s leadership, operational experience and deep connection to the Hertz community will strengthen our ability to support fellows during one of the most formative stages of their scientific careers,” said Wendy Connors, president of the Hertz Foundation. “We’re so excited to welcome her to the board.”
Blewett joins two other new board members: Stephen Pearse, managing partner, Yucatan Rock Ventures; and Hertz Fellow and Nobel laureate John C. Mather, senior astrophysicist, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, as an honorary board member.
Interview with Megan Blewett
We sat down with Blewett to learn more about her work and what she hopes to contribute to the organization.
What are you working on right now that’s most exciting to you?
Blewett: I recently returned to my roots in venture capital, working with Scion Life Sciences to start and incubate new biotech companies. We have our own wet lab space in Boston, so I get to stay close to the science within the Scion ecosystem, which is unburdened by many of the constraints facing academics today. I love creating high-impact biotech companies from the ground up.
Why is joining the board important to you?
Blewett: I love the Hertz community — it’s so open, motivating and intellectually engaging. Its members have extraordinary talent, yet remarkably low ego. These are people who truly love math and science and want to hear what you’re working on. I see my job as growing and protecting this unique culture. I’m also eager to elevate the foundation’s visibility. Someone once called Hertz “the greatest foundation no one’s ever heard of.” I want the whole world to know its impact.
What unique insights or perspectives do you bring to the board?
Blewett: I love thinking about moonshots — and, more specifically, how to operationalize them. The Kelonia results have underscored for me how powerful that translation can be. Hertz Fellows are full of bold ideas, and I want to help put boots on the ground to make them real.
Why is the Hertz Foundation important for the future of science and technology?
Blewett: So many reasons. The Hertz Foundation supports people at one of the most catalytic moments in their lives. Graduate school is a period of enormous creativity and productivity, yet labs are increasingly strapped for funding. The fellowship gives students the stability and intellectual freedom to choose the labs and ideas that truly inspire them. In many ways, Hertz invests in people the way venture capital invests in bold ideas — early, decisively and with transformative impact on their long-term trajectory.
What advice would you give to the newest class of Hertz Fellows?
Blewett: Congratulations — you’re part of a very small percentage of people who make it this far. You’re now joining an extraordinary community, one filled with brilliant, curious, generous people who will inspire and challenge you throughout your career. Know that you’re stepping into something truly special.
About the Hertz Foundation
The Hertz Foundation is the nation’s preeminent nonprofit organization committed to advancing American scientific and technological leadership. For more than 60 years, it has stood as an unwavering pillar of independent support through the renowned Hertz Fellowship, cultivating a multidisciplinary network of innovators whose work has positively impacted millions of lives. Learn more at hertzfoundation.org.
