Dr. Kan Cao- Scientist, Aging Researcher, Inventor, Professor, Founder & Chief Scientific Officer of Mblue Labs.

Dr. Kan Cao is a scientist specializing in the biology of aging whose research explores how the fundamental mechanisms of aging contribute to age-related disease—and how discoveries in the laboratory can be translated into innovations that support healthier aging.

A Professor and Vice Chair in the Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics at the University of Maryland, Dr. Cao has spent more than two decades studying human aging, beginning with Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome (HGPS), one of the world’s rarest premature-aging disorders. Her work has generated discoveries with implications far beyond rare disease, spanning Alzheimer’s and neurodegeneration, cellular longevity, and age-related changes in skin and hair.

Among her most significant discoveries is her research into methylene blue and cellular aging. Dr. Cao’s laboratory demonstrated the potential of methylene blue to address key biological processes associated with skin aging, including mitochondrial bioenergetics, redox homeostasis, and cellular resilience. This work led to patented applications for the topical use of methylene blue to address age-related skin changes and ultimately became the scientific foundation for Mblue Labs and its Bluelene® technology. Building on this research, Dr. Cao has expanded her work into hair follicle stem cell biology and hair growth. Together, these areas reflect her broader focus on understanding how aging affects the biology of skin and hair, and translating those insights into science-based solutions.

Dr. Cao’s research now also examines the critical relationship between aging and Alzheimer’s disease, including how accelerated-aging models may reveal biological mechanisms that are difficult to capture in conventional disease models. Her work continues to expand into additional rare genetic disease, supported by a new 2026 National Institutes of Health grant investigating a rare congenital muscular dystrophy.

Dr. Cao earned her Ph.D. in Biology from Johns Hopkins University and completed postdoctoral training at the National Institutes of Health. An inventor on multiple patents, she is a Senior Member of the National Academy of Inventors and a recipient of the University of Maryland’s Norma M. Allewell Prize in Entrepreneurship.

In 2018, Dr. Cao founded Mblue Labs to translate discoveries from her academic research into real-world applications. Across her work as a scientist, inventor, professor, and entrepreneur, she continues to pursue a central question: What can the biology of aging teach us about living healthier for longer?