Episode 79: Ashley Kalinauskas

For many of us, our pets are family, and few things are as crushing as learning that a family member has been diagnosed with cancer, knowing the battle they have ahead of them. Thankfully we have people like Ashley Kalinauskas, who launched a cancer-battling biotech start‑up that resulted from her graduate thesis project at the University of Notre Dame. Ashley Kalinauskas is the founder and CEO of Torigen, a biotechnology company helping our furry best friends live longer, healthier lives. Their initial product, VetiVax, is a personalized cancer vaccine that was originally developed to move forward for human clinical studies, but was repositioned to help the millions of dogs, cats and horses after a cancer diagnosis. Ashley has grown the company from an idea on the scientific benchtop, to a company of over 30 employees poised to help grow the animal health industry. Not only is Ashley a brilliant researcher, she is also a keen businesswoman who has successfully raised $16 million in investment funds so that they can continue to develop innovative immunotherapies.  Ashley has been recognized with numerous awards, such as Forbes 30 Under 30 2020, Animal Health Innovation USA Award 2021, Notre Dame Domer Dozen 2021,  and Hartford Business Journal's 2023 Power 50.  The first Pretty Powerful Podcast of 2024 kicks off in a big way with this inspiring and engaging conversation!