Leen Kawas is an expert in stem cells and regenerative medicine who has been featured in numerous publications and broadcast programs, such as “The Scientist” magazine, “The Washington Post,” National Public Radio, CNN.com, and the book The End of Aging.
She is a former CEO of BioTech Exec, where she led an organization with over 100 employees worldwide, overseeing an annual revenue of over $15 million. Leen Kawas is pursuing her MBA at Virginia Commonwealth University’s McIntire School of Commerce.
Kawas’ expertise in regenerative medicine came to life when she started BioTech Exec and, more recently, through her public speaking engagements. At age 9, Kawas was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called rhabdomyosarcoma that doctors initially thought would not respond to chemotherapy.
Kawas’ cancer responded to the chemotherapy that destroyed her hair and took all of her fingernails, leaving her with a miraculous quality of life. After undergoing treatment for years at the National Cancer Institute and Walter Reed, she became one of the first small children in an experimental treatment group. The treatment was a success, but it left Kawas with no hair on her body.
Leen Kawas has won awards for her work in regenerative medicine, including the prestigious “Stem Cell Hero Award” from the University of Pittsburgh, and was featured on NBC Nightly News. She was named a “Company We Can’t Live Without” by Time magazine, a “Person to watch” by Business Week, and one of Google’s top 50 people for 2009.
Leen Kawas has traveled the world and recently returned from a trip to China with Chinese media, where she has been featured in magazines and television programs, including CCTV, China Daily, Shanghai TV, Jiangsu TV, Guangdong TV, and Guangzhou TV