Kelly Thomas, PhD is Director of Scientific Content at TEDMED, where she curates and translates breakthrough ideas at the intersection of science, medicine, and human potential. Her work focuses on making complex research clear, accurate, and meaningful — connecting rigorous evidence to the realities of everyday life.
With a background spanning biomedical engineering, structural biology, oncology, and the biology of the stem-cell niche in acute myeloid leukemia, Kelly has written across formats ranging from peer-reviewed research and grant proposals to health and wellness journalism. Throughout her career, she has been driven by a central question: how do we translate the best of science into longer, healthier, more meaningful lives?
At TEDMED, she leads the development of conversations and experiences designed to surface nuance, challenge assumptions, and make emerging science accessible without oversimplifying it. As one of the hosts of TEDMED Conversations, she explores topics including resilience, mental health, technology’s impact on youth, and the future of care.
A lifelong athlete and high-performance competitor, Kelly brings a particular interest in the neuroscience of resilience and behavior change — and how science can inform the way we live, train, recover, and grow.
