About us
We forge naturally evolved enzymes into powerful gene editing systems

Seemingly random pill-shaped particles, signifying genetic material sourced from natural environments, emerge from the ground
Our origins
Metagenomi co-founders Brian C. Thomas and Jill Banfield are pioneers in the field of metagenomics — the study and process of characterizing the genomes of microbes from nature. While many contemporary gene editing therapies are developed around a single enzymatic technology (such as CRISPR-Cas9), Metagenomi posed, “why would nature create just one?” And with that question, we started exploring.
Although Metagenomi’s sampling expeditions started small, our ever-growing team continues to embody that spirit of scientific curiosity in their relentless quest to discover otherwise unknown organisms. This drive and expertise allow us to expand our options in human gene editing for therapeutics; by bioinformatically unearthing the characteristics of tiny, powerful organisms pre-screened by evolution, we’ve begun to uncover the vast potential these novel gene editing technologies hold.
As we develop the largest, most diverse, wholly-owned toolbox of gene editing systems, we’re steadfast in progressing our proprietary lead technologies, therapeutics programs, and partnerships with world-class industry experts.
Leadership
Executive leadership
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Brian C. Thomas, PhD
CEO & Founder
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Jian Irish, PhD, MBA
President & Chief Operating Officer
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Sarah Noonberg, MD, PhD
Chief Medical Officer
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Simon Harnest, MSc
Chief Investment Officer & SVP of Strategy
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Alan Brooks, PhD
SVP of Preclinical
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Chris Brown, PhD
VP of Discovery
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Lindsay Caldwell, MBA, MS
VP of Human Resources
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Mike Conway, MBA
VP of Finance
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Greg Cost, PhD
VP of Biology
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Simren Delaney, PhD, LLM
VP of Legal
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Hong Natarajan, PhD, MBA
VP of Program Management & Business Operations
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Wenshi Wang, MD, PhD
VP of Cell Therapy Development
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Board of directors
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Brian C. Thomas, PhD
CEO & Founder
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Jürgen Eckhardt, MD, MBA
Head of Leaps by Bayer at Bayer
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Sebastian Bernales, PhD
General Partner of Humboldt Fund
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Willard H. Dere, MD
Professor Emeritus, Internal Medicine, University of Utah
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Risa Stack, PhD
Venture Partner at RA Capital Management LLC, General Manager, The Production Board
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Santhosh Palani, PhD, CFA
Partner of PFM Health Sciences
Scientific advisory board
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Philip Greenberg, MD
Head of Immunology Research at the Fred Hutch, Professor of Medicine & Immunology at UW, Scientific Co-founder of Juno Therapeutics
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Aude Chapuis, MD
Associate Professor of Medical Oncology at University of Washington
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Thomas Schmitt, Ph.D.
Research Associate in Greenberg Lab at the Fred Hutch
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Chad Cowan, MD
CEO of Clade Therapeutics, Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School
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Jak Knowles, MD
Co-founder, President, and CEO of Affini‑T Therapeutics
Partners & investors
Partners
From the banks of marshes and sulfur pools in Yellowstone to former volcanic land and deep sea vents, Metagenomi ventures out into less-trodden natural environments to source undiscovered genetic material—and then brings it into their lab to sequence and engineer into genetic medicines.
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Values
What lies at our core?
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Inspiration
Everyone at Metagenomi plays a critical role in achieving our mission of building and translating potentially curative genetic medicines. We work to build a trusting, creative environment where everyone has the permission to speak up, take risks, and learn. We value the health and well-being of our people and support their wellness and career goals.
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Integrity
Patient outcomes drive all of our research, meaning our therapeutics need to be as safe as they are effective. To achieve this, we must operate with high scientific integrity and organizational transparency. We hold ourselves accountable for our successes and failures.
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Innovation
We’re innovators in the gene editing space. By building a flexible and robust platform that discovers new technologies and realizes them into pioneering therapeutic applications, we are committed to developing therapies for all people and look forward to partnering with organizations that will connect us to patients worldwide.
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Inclusivity
At Metagenomi, we’re committed to creating an inclusive and welcoming work environment. We’re proud to say that over half of our employees identify as female. To maintain a fair and equitable workplace, we continuously prioritize our DE&I initiatives.
Join us in developing next-generation genetic medicines
If you’re eager to pave a new path in gene editing to advance health for all of humanity, join our team.