Renee Wegrzyn, Ph.D.

Dr. Renee Wegrzyn serves as the inaugural director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H). Under her leadership, ARPA-H has swiftly transformed from concept to a catalyst for biomedical innovation. Entrusted with $4 billion in funding, Dr. Wegrzyn has established the agency’s operational framework and launched groundbreaking projects in cancer detection and treatment, cybersecurity for health infrastructure, and curing blindness, among others. Her strategic vision positions ARPA-H at the forefront of high-risk, high-reward research, fostering cross-sector partnerships to accelerate medical breakthroughs.

Dr. Wegrzyn's extensive background includes pivotal roles at DARPA, where she received the Superior Public Service Medal, and in private industry, spearheading innovative approaches to combat infectious diseases at Ginko Bioworks. With a Ph.D. from the Georgia Institute of Technology in applied biology and diverse experience in synthetic biology and gene editing, Dr. Wegrzyn drives ARPA-H’s mission to revolutionize healthcare through pioneering research and development.