MICHIGAN
John Younger ’91
Co-founder and chief technology officer, Akadeum Life Sciences

You won’t see John Younger’s (M.D. ’91) face on movie posters, but the technology he’s developed sounds like something from a science-fiction film.

It all revolves arund tiny bubbles.

“We make microscopic bubbles that capture and float single cells out of blood and tissue samples. You can think of the bubbles as life preservers for stem cells, cancer cells and other cells that researchers or clinicians need to keep track of,” he says.

It all happens at Akadeum Life Sciences, a company Younger co-founded in 2014. The goal is to change the way scientists and physicians think about cell sorting for research, diagnosis and treatment.

A Warrensburg, Mo., native, Younger comes from a family of Roos. Both his parents attended UMKC.

At UMKC, Younger discovered a love of chemistry while studying with Professor Emeritus Charlie Wurrey and retired Professor Bob Yang.

“Some of the deepest roots of what I’m doing at Akadeum were laid down by those two sharing their enthusiasm,” he says.

Younger says he believes the foundation UMKC provided affected his future in ways both expected and unexpected.

“Receiving my training at UMKC made just the right impact at just the right time,” he says.

Younger says the hardest part of starting a business is trusting your instincts. He thinks many people could benefit from leaving a steady job for a startup, but they’re afraid of uncertainty.

Younger has learned to ignore that fear.

“I’ve learned that we all live with a lot of uncertainty, and that the unknown is never far away for any of us,” he says. “I think if you can embrace the idea that many aspects of your life and career are much less certain than you assume they are, then taking a leap into blue becomes something you can not only imagine, but plan for.”