O'Shaughnessy Ventures Awards Fellowship to Researcher Tackling the Biology of Aging
Bioengineer Benjamin Arya awarded $100K to build next-generation gene-editing tools and delivery systems
GREENWICH, Conn., July 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- O'Shaughnessy Ventures LLC (OSV), an investment firm that empowers creators, has awarded a $100,000 O'Shaughnessy Fellowship to Benjamin Arya, an Australian scientist and bioengineer based in Boston, Massachusetts.
Arya will use the fellowship to design more precise genome engineering tools, improve whole-organism gene delivery systems and catalog rare, unusually potent variants of DNA repair enzymes. Together, these advances could pave the way for therapies that repair genetic damage, prevent cancer and slow age-related decline.
Arya brings extensive research and bioengineering experience to the fellowship. He grew up in Brisbane and finished high school in Australia's 99.95th percentile, earning a Chancellor's Scholarship to study biomedicine at the University of Melbourne. After graduating with first-class honors, he spent time in medical school and Silicon Valley before collaborating with researchers at Stanford University on a project mapping the molecular signatures of decay in aging human hearts. Outside the lab, Arya has founded or invested in several biotech and consumer health startups and hosts a science and technology podcast.
OSV's founder and CEO, Jim O'Shaughnessy, commented, "Ben has the ambition, intelligence and experience to tackle one of humanity's biggest challenges–repairing the DNA damage that drives aging. We're proud to welcome him as a fellow."
"Evolution gave us a fragile genome prone to entropic decay, but it also gave us the intelligence to overcome those limits," said Arya. "The O'Shaughnessy Fellowship gives me the foundation to solve the engineering problems that stand between humanity and control over its own biological destiny. This is an immense honor and a grave privilege, and I won't waste a moment."
About the O'Shaughnessy Fellowships Program
Launched in 2023, the O'Shaughnessy Fellowships program discovers and empowers the world's boldest creatives, builders and researchers. Fellows receive a $100,000 grant and gain access to OSV's network of founders, investors and experts.
OSV will award 12 fellowships in 2025. Applicants will also be considered for the O'Shaughnessy Grants program, which provides 20 additional $10,000 grants to promising innovators.
Arya is the twelfth fellow announced in 2025. More information about previous fellows is available at OSV's website.
Applications for the fellowships are now closed and will reopen on Jan. 1, 2026. Individuals interested in learning more can do so via OSV's website.
About O'Shaughnessy Ventures
OSV is a creative investment firm that empowers creators to bring their ideas to life. Founded by Jim O'Shaughnessy, a pioneer in quantitative investing, founder of O'Shaughnessy Asset Management, and author of five books, OSV aims to provide financial support and to partner in growing the next life-changing creative ideas.
OSV combines Jim's deeply rooted interest in all things art, science, investing and technology with his long-held desire to establish scenarios designed to help promising creators and their inspiring ideas succeed, regardless of age, location, job history or level of education. For more information, visit OSV's website.
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O'Shaughnessy Ventures LLC
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SOURCE O'Shaughnessy Ventures