Kevin Weeks Named Senior Member of National Academy of Inventors for Transformative RNA Discoveries
The two companies that Kevin Weeks, Distinguished Professor of Chemistry at UNC-Chapel Hill, co-founded—Ribometrix and ForagR Medicines—are translating breakthroughs from trainees in his lab into therapies aimed at diseases once thought out of reach, and reflect ways in which curiosity-driven science can evolve into promising new treatment strategies. Credit: Ribometrix
March 3, 2026 I By Dave DeFusco
Kevin Weeks, Distinguished Professor of Chemistry at UNC-Chapel Hill, has been named a Senior Member of the National Academy of Inventors—a national recognition reserved for researchers whose discoveries move beyond the lab to shape industries and improve lives. Weeks earned the distinction for transforming the scientific understanding of the three-dimensional structure of cellular RNA and turning that knowledge into practical technologies that are redefining how new medicines are discovered.
The two companies he co-founded—Ribometrix and ForagR Medicines—are translating breakthroughs from trainees in his lab into therapies aimed at diseases once thought out of reach, and reflect ways in which curiosity-driven science can evolve into promising new treatment strategies. For Weeks, the honor reflects both his lab vision and the efforts of his students and trainees whose work helped turn bold ideas into real-world solutions.
“This is a nice recognition of all our work and the wonderful creativity of our students and trainees,” he said. “None of the projects that ultimately led to patents started off as ‘let’s make a patent.’ They started as ‘let’s try to do something fun and interesting,’ and then evolved organically into translational work.”
RNA is often described as a messenger. It carries instructions from DNA and directs the building of proteins that the human body needs. For decades, scientists knew RNA was important, but they didn’t really know what most RNA molecules looked like in three dimensions. Weeks set out to change that. His lab developed what he calls “chemical microscopes,” simple chemical tools that allow scientists to map the shape and structure of RNA. Instead of using a glass lens, these methods use chemistry to gently probe RNA and reveal how it folds, with its shape determining function.
Twenty years ago, his group published critical work showing they could chemically examine a part of RNA that makes it different from DNA. “When we started, we were just trying to understand what RNA looked like,” said Weeks. “We were all a bit floored when we had found a reliable way to ‘see’ RNA’s structure.”
Over time, his lab discovered that RNA is full of complex folds and, often, pockets—structures that look a bit like the grooves and clefts in proteins. That insight supported a powerful idea: if RNA has pockets, perhaps drugs could fit into them. During the COVID-19 pandemic, labs around the world raced to study the RNA of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Many chose to use methods invented in the Weeks lab. That was powerful validation of ideas and technologies developed by members of his lab.
“It’s one thing to say our technologies are powerful,” he said. “It’s another thing when people pick up their pipettes and spend their time and energy using your method.”
Today, his RNA structure technologies are used by academic labs and biotechnology companies around the world. Companies developing mRNA vaccines also rely on related approaches to optimize their designs.
As the science matured, Weeks began to see commercial possibilities. He co-founded Ribometrix in 2014 to discover small-molecule drugs that target structured RNA. The company grew from ideas developed in his lab and took off when he partnered with former undergraduate student Katie Warner.
“To have a successful startup, you need two things: a good idea and amazing early team members,” said Weeks.
A decade later, he co-founded ForagR Medicines. This newer company takes a different approach. It’s also targeting RNA with small molecules, but is focusing on doing the entire drug discovery process entirely in cells.
Both companies are built on a philosophy Weeks has followed for years: keep the technology simple. “Making things simple is hard,” he said. “But when you do, the resulting methods can be very powerful.”
In academia, the primary goal is to expand knowledge and pursue important scientific questions. In business, that discovery is just the starting point. To become a product, an idea must also address a real-world need and be feasible to develop, produce and deliver at scale. Weeks appreciates UNC’s growing support for entrepreneurs. Programs such as the KickStart Accelerator now provide lab space and help with federal small business grants—resources that were limited when Ribometrix first launched.
“It’s helpful to have company work done in dedicated company space, separate from my academic research lab,” he said. “That way there’s a clear boundary between university research and startup activities, which avoids conflicts and keeps resources properly allocated.”
RNA science has exploded in importance over the past two decades, earning multiple Nobel Prizes. Weeks believes RNA-targeted drugs represent one of the next frontiers in medicine. Traditional drug discovery has been successful, he said, but is reaching limits in important areas.
“There’s tremendous opportunity,” said Weeks. “By targeting RNA, scientists are newly able to focus on diseases that were once considered “undruggable.”