SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., Feb. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Calico Life Sciences LLC (Calico), a clinical-stage biotechnology organization focused on aging and age-related diseases and founded by Alphabet Inc. and Arthur D. Levinson, Ph.D., today announced the appointment of Joseph R. Arron, M.D., Ph.D., as Head of Human Biology and Genetics. In this role, Dr. Arron will lead Calico’s efforts to use large-scale human cohorts to systematically understand the biology of aging and disease pathogenesis to discover and validate novel therapeutic targets.
“Joe brings to Calico a deep expertise in human biology and a proven ability to bridge the gap between innovative scientific inquiry and the rigorous process of drug discovery,” said Dr. Michael Lenardo, Calico’s Chief Scientific Officer. “As Calico continues to expand its focus on clinical development, Joe’s leadership will be vital in advancing our work to translate our biological insights into meaningful therapeutics for patients with age-related diseases.”
Dr. Arron joins Calico from Sonoma Biotherapeutics where he served as Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) and Head of R&D overseeing preclinical research and clinical development activities for the company’s engineered regulatory T-cell therapy programs. Previously, he served as CSO at 23andMe Therapeutics leading target discovery, translational research, and preclinical drug development for diseases associated with human genetic variation. Prior to 23andMe, Dr. Arron spent 15 years at Genentech where he was most recently Vice President of Immunology Research and Senior Fellow leading a department of more than 20 laboratories responsible for target and biomarker discovery, translational research, and preclinical therapeutic development in inflammatory, autoimmune, fibrotic, and ophthalmic diseases.
“I am honored to join the Calico team and build upon its track record of success in characterizing fundamental mechanisms of human aging,” said Dr. Arron. “I have always believed that successful drug discovery requires a relentless focus on the translation between molecular mechanisms and clinical outcomes, and getting every step in between exactly right. Calico is uniquely built to do just that, coupling exceptional discovery research with world-class computational and technical capabilities to translate genetic and phenotypic insights into therapeutic candidates. I look forward to working across the organization to advance our work on human biology and accelerate the delivery of novel treatments that help us all live healthier, longer.”
