Biography of Jordan Koehn
Jordan Koehn, PhD, is a co-founder of ForagR Medicines, alongside fellow scientists Kevin Weeks, PhD, and Andrea Epperly, PhD. Launched in 2024, ForagR Medicines is an innovative biotechnology company committed to developing RNA-targeted small-molecule therapeutics aimed at significantly improving human health. In his role as Head of Platform and Chemical Genomics, he leads the company’s cutting-edge drug discovery platform, translating groundbreaking research into real-world applications. His scientific leadership underpins ForagR’s mission to develop effective RNA-based therapies for complex diseases, providing solutions where traditional drugs have fallen short.
Pioneering Biotechnology Through Research and Discovery Throughout his academic and professional journey, Jordan has pursued innovative solutions to pressing health challenges, positioning himself as a leader in biotechnology. During his postdoctoral tenure at the University of North Carolina (UNC) with Dr. Kevin Weeks, he spearheaded the creation of transcriptome-wide RNA-ligand discovery technology. This breakthrough evolved into ForagR’s proprietary drug discovery platform, enabling the identification of RNA structural elements crucial to biological function. By characterizing smallmolecule ligands that bind and regulate these RNA structures, he has unveiled new therapeutic possibilities, driving the development of novel medicines targeting complex diseases.
Developing RNA-Targeted Therapeutics Koehn’s research focuses on small-molecule therapeutics that target RNA, a robust approach when conventional protein-targeted drugs prove inadequate. He has specialized in molecular and