Jared is from Hays, KS and completed his undergraduate degree in life sciences at Kansas State University. He then went on to get his master’s degree in biomedical sciences research from Kansas City University. During this time, Jared worked on discovering blood-based biomarkers for neurodegenerative diseases. His master’s research focused on isolating biomarkers of interest through collection of brain-derived exosomes from patient blood.

This passion for discovering the unknown led Jared to pursue a Ph.D. in cancer biology at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Here, he joined the lab of Dr. Ben Woolbright whose research focuses on the intersection of bladder cancer and aging. Bladder cancer is a disease of aging, with older patients presenting a more aggressive cancer and having poorer outcomes to treatment compared to younger patients. Jared’s current research is exploring the influence of the aging gut microbiome on bladder cancer development and progression. The goal of this research is to develop translatable therapies involving the gut microbiome that could improve outcomes for patients, particularly elderly patients, with bladder cancer.

In his time outside of the lab, Jared enjoys going on long walks with his family and trying new restaurants around Kansas City.