The Forbes 30 Under 30 lists, published by the magazine each year, celebrate promising young innovators across science and healthcare, social impact, entertainment, and a wide range of other categories.
Dr Ashwin Jainarayanan, who completed his DPhil at the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology last year, achieved a place on the 2025 Europe list for Science and Healthcare. Ashwin co-founded company Granza Bio in 2024 based on his DPhil work in Prof Mike Dustin’s lab. Granza Bio is synthetically creating ‘attack particles’ which can be directed to specific tissues to fight cancer. Attack particles are a natural combination therapy which contain multiple proteins that work together to kill cancer cells.
The Granza founders hope that attack particles will work in places where therapeutic T cells cannot reach or function, thereby complementing checkpoint therapies and CAR-T cancer therapies and providing better therapeutic options for patients. Attack particles could also be explored for use in autoimmune diseases, and diseases of pathogenic fibroblasts.
Dr Ashwin Jainarayanan said: ‘Throughout my professional journey, I’ve been incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by outstanding mentors and peers. In particular, I’m deeply grateful to my DPhil advisors, Professor Michael Dustin and Professor Matthew Wood, whose guidance has shaped both my scientific thinking and personal growth. I’m also thankful for the support of my co-founder Dr Ashwin Nandakumar, and for the vibrant research communities at the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology and friends at Clarendon Scholar Association and Exeter College, University of Oxford. Being recognised by Forbes is an honour, and it’s a reflection of the collective effort and belief of so many people I’ve had the privilege to work with.’
Ashwin is currently a Schmidt Science Fellow and co-founder of Granza Bio.
Professor Mike Dustin, Director of Research at the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, said: ‘Ashwin is a real dynamo. He has balanced brilliant science and intense entrepreneurial activity throughout his DPhil. This along with his infectious enthusiasm are a great recipe for biotech success!’
The Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology has a vibrant student community which receives opportunities and training for industrial and entrepreneurial careers. Each year, the Institute is proud to attract some of the brightest discovery researchers and clinician scientists.
Professor Kim Midwood, Director of Graduate Studies at the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, said: ‘The mission of our graduate training programme is to enable PhD students to drive meaningful translational research. We do this by supporting development not only of technical and analytical skillsets but also by offering hands on training in entrepreneurship and business development. Ashwin is a fantastic example of where this training can take you.’
Professor Mark Coles, Industrial Strategy and Entrepreneurship Lead at the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, said: ‘Ashwin’s success demonstrates the translational impact of Kennedy Institute world leading science and training for PhD students, including innovation and entrepreneurship, which has provided a launch pad Granza Bio and other innovative spin-outs from the institute science.'
The Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology is grateful to the Clarendon Scholarship and the SKP Scholarship from Exeter College who funded Ashwin’s DPhil studies.