Our Mission
To Restore Lives by Advancing Bold Therapies for Neuronal Health, Thoughtfully and Urgently
We are a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing small molecules to restore neuronal health and slow neurodegeneration.
At Athira, we are committed to restoring, rebuilding and retaining connections.
Our scientific philosophy is rooted in supporting a healthy neuronal network, improving the lives of patients and caregivers by maintaining their personal connections.
Board of Directors
Click name to view bio.
Kelly Romano joined our Board of Directors in December 2020 and was appointed Chair of the Board on August 5, 2021. She is the founder and chief executive officer of BlueRipple Capital, LLC, a consultancy firm working with global technology companies, and previously served as an operating partner at AE Industrial Partners. Previously, she spent 32 years working at United Technologies Corp. Ms. Romano is a member of several boards of directors, including UGI Corporation, Dorman Products, Inc., Potter Global Technologies and Altus Fire & Life Safety.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the State University of New York at Buffalo, an MBA degree from Syracuse University, and is a graduate of the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management’s Corporate Board Governance Executive Program, as well as senior executive programs at Darden School of Management, University of Virginia.
Mark Litton is President and CEO of Athira Pharma, a position he has held since October 2021. Previously, he served as Athira’s COO since July 2019. Prior to joining Athira, Mark served as the President and COO of Alpine Immune Sciences, Inc. Prior to that he spent more than 14 years at Alder Biopharmaceutical Inc., a publicly traded biopharmaceutical company, which was acquired by Lundbeck A/S. As co-founder and CBO, Mark helped build the business and oversaw finance, investor relations, deal making, business development, alliance management, human resources, and overall corporate strategy. While at Alder, Mark was directly responsible for raising over ~$1B in equity capital and led negotiations for numerous corporate alliances between biotech and pharmaceutical companies.
Mark has a PhD in immunology from Stockholm University, an MBA from Santa Clara University and a BA in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from UC Santa Cruz.
Joe Edelman has served on our board of directors since May 2020. Mr. Edelman is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Perceptive Advisors, a hedge fund that specializes in investing in biotechnology stocks. He founded Perceptive Advisors in 1999, aiming to support progress in the life sciences industry by identifying opportunities and directing financial resources toward the most promising technologies in modern healthcare.
Mr. Edelman earned a B.A. in Psychology from the University of California, San Diego, graduating magna cum laude. After initially pursuing a graduate-level degree in Psychopharmacology, he pivoted to earn a M.B.A. at the Leonard N. Stern School of Business at New York University. Combining his training in psychology with his experience in investing and portfolio management, Mr. Edelman has built an investment team of M.D.’s and Ph.D.’s who are dedicated to identifying trends, technologies and underappreciated assets in the life sciences industry to drive returns for investors and help improve lives through science.
Mr. Edelman is deeply committed to causes to improve the lives of people and communities. In addition to his role on our board of directors, he serves on the board of directors at the New York Genome Center and the board of trustees at Brown University.
John Fluke, Jr. has served on our board of directors since December 2014. Mr. Fluke is chairman of Fluke Capital Management, L.P., which he founded in 1976, and was chairman and chief executive officer of the John Fluke Manufacturing Co. until 1990. Mr. Fluke previously served on the boards of PACCAR Inc., CellCyte Genetics Corporation, Cell Therapeutics, Primus International, and American Seafoods Group. Mr. Fluke is a current trustee of the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce (formerly serving as its chairman) and previously served as chairman of the Washington State China Relations Council and a trustee emeritus of the Museum of Flight. He also previously served as chairman of the Washington Technology Center at the University of Washington, which is an organization responsible for managing technology transfers from public universities in Washington state to the private sector for commercialization. Mr. Fluke has also served as chairman of the trustees of Junior Achievement of Washington and president of the Seattle Council of Boy Scouts of America.
Mr. Fluke earned an M.S. in electrical engineering from Stanford University in 1966 and a B.S. in electrical engineering from the University of Washington in 1964.
James Johnson has served on our board of directors since August 2020. Mr. Johnson previously served as the chief financial officer of Nohla Therapeutics, a cell therapy company. Prior to Nohla, Mr. Johnson served for five years as the chief financial officer of NanoString Technologies, a publicly held provider of life science tools for translational research and molecular diagnostics. During his tenure as chief financial officer at NanoString, Mr. Johnson oversaw strategic and corporate finance activities from private stage through the company’s initial public offering and additional rounds of financing, marking the third initial public offering in his career as a chief financial officer. Prior to joining NanoString, Mr. Johnson served as chief financial officer of Relypsa, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company. Prior to Relypsa, Mr. Johnson served for nearly 10 years as chief financial officer of ZymoGenetics, Inc., until the company was acquired by Bristol-Myers Squibb in October 2010. Previously, he served for seven years as chief financial officer of Targeted Genetics Corporation (now C3J Therapeutics) and as Vice President of Finance at Immunex Corporation during its evolution from product development to commercial operations.
Mr. Johnson received a B.A. in business administration from the University of Washington in 1979.
Barbara Kosacz joined our Board of Directors in March 2021, bringing over 25 years of experience in the biopharma industry. Ms. Kosacz served as chief operating officer and general counsel for Kronos Bio, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing medicines that target deregulated transcription, the hallmark of cancer and other serious diseases, from July 2020 to February 2024, where she continues to serve as a strategic business development advisor. Prior to that she served as the head of Cooley LLP’s international Life Sciences Practice. During her years at Cooley, she served as outside counsel to scores of biopharma companies, helping them structure and negotiate their most transformative transactions. Ms. Kosacz also served multiple terms on Cooley’s management committee, overseeing the firm during its greatest growth periods. She has received numerous awards and accomplishments, including being recognized by Best Lawyers in America since 2008, and most recently as Biotechnology Lawyer of the Year for 2018, being elected to Northern California’s “Super Lawyers” annually since 2011, being listed as a “Band 1” attorney in the latest edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, and in the Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America.
Ms. Kosacz is a thought leader on deal making in the industry and has served as a member of the BIO Emerging Companies’ Section Governing Board, the board of trustees of the Keck Graduate Institute, the business advisory board of Locust Walk Partners, and as a guest lecturer at both the law and business schools of UC Berkeley and Stanford University. She is also a member of the board of directors of XOMA Corporation. Ms. Kosacz received her J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law, and her bachelor’s degree from Stanford University.
Michael A. Panzara, MD, MPH joined our Board of Directors in March 2022. He is currently Chief Medical Officer, Neurvati Neurosciences. He has over 20 years of experience developing therapies for neurological disorders having served in leadership roles at Sanofi, Genzyme, and Biogen before his most recent position as Chief Medical Officer and Head of Therapeutics and Development at Wave Life Sciences from 2016-2022.
Dr. Panzara received his undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania, medical degree from Stanford University, trained in neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital with post-doctoral training in immunology and rheumatology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and received his Master of Public Health degree from the Harvard School of Public Health.
Grant Pickering has served on our board of directors since January 2022. Mr. Pickering is Chief Executive Officer and co-founder at Vaxcyte, Inc., a vaccine innovation company engineering high-fidelity vaccines to protect humankind from the consequences of bacterial diseases. He previously served as CEO of Mymetics Corporation and Juvaris BioTherapeutics. Prior to Juvaris, Mr. Pickering served as Senior Vice President, Operations at Dendreon Corporation and led marketing and business development for Algos Pharmaceutical Corporation. Mr. Pickering began his career at Glaxo and Johnson & Johnson in sales, marketing, and clinical research roles.
Mr. Pickering earned his BS degree in marketing from The Pennsylvania State University and his MBA from Georgetown University with high honors.
Scientific Advisory Board
Click name to view bio.
Dr. Hans Moebius served as Athira’s Chief Medical Officer from April 2019 to January 2024. Prior to joining Athira, Hans co-founded Exciva GmbH, a company focusing on targeted drug rescue, and served as its Chief Executive Officer and Chief Medical Officer from 2016 to 2019, and again as acting Chief Medical Officer since April 2020. Hans also served as scientific advisory board member at Rodin Therapeutics from October 2016 until the company was sold to Alkermes in December 2019. At Rodin Therapeutics, he also served as acting Chief Medical Officer from December 2016 to April 2018. Prior to that, he served as Executive Vice President of Clinical Research at CHASE Pharmaceuticals, until the company was acquired by Allergan in 2016.
Hans earned his PhD in experimental pharmacology from the University of Heidelberg in 1983 and a BS in chemistry from the University of Kaiserslautern, Germany, in 1976. He completed his medical studies at the Karls residencies at the Goethe University Frankfurt/Main from 1986-1991. During his research tenure at the Max-Planck-Institute for Brain Research from 1984-1986, he lectured in neuropathology and neuroscience. Hans also holds the European Certificate in Pharmaceutical Medicine (ECPM) from the EUCOR Universities Basel/Switzerland, Freiburg/Germany and Strasbourg/France.
Dr. John Olichney is a Clinical Professor of Neurology, board-certified in Neurology and Behavioral Neurology, with expertise in dementia, cognitive electrophysiology and functional neuroimaging.
After receiving his B.A. in Neurobiology at UC Berkeley, he earned his M.D. at UC Irvine. Following his Residency in Neurology at UC San Diego, he completed post-doctoral fellowships in Geriatric Neurology and Neurosciences & Traumatic Brain Injuries at the San Diego Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center.
Dr. Olichney has co-authored over 65 peer-reviewed publications and 6 book chapters. He is an internationally recognized expert in Alzheimer’s disease, other dementias, and the electrophysiology and neuroimaging of human memory processes. His lab has developed novel electrophysiological and imaging biomarkers for early Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. He directs a cognitive neuroscience laboratory at the Center for Mind and Brain. He also serves as the Clinical Core Leader for the UC Davis Alzheimer’s Disease Center and is the Director of their Clinical Trials Unit.
Dr. Anton P. Porsteinsson is the Director of the University of Rochester Alzheimer’s Disease Care, Research and Education Program (AD-CARE) in New York, USA. In addition, he is the inaugural William B. and Sheila Konar Professor of Psychiatry, Neurology, Neuroscience, and Medicine at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry.
Dr. Porsteinsson has devoted his career to the care and study of individuals with memory disorders. He participates in the University of Rochester Memory Care Program, which serves a population with memory disorders. Internationally recognized in clinical research and considered one of the leading experts in Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, he has research interests in biomarkers, imaging, and novel pharmacological agents in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, both in terms of cognitive loss and behavioral disturbances. He is a leading investigator for several prominent national and international Alzheimer’s disease prevention and treatment trials. Dr. Porsteinsson is the author and collaborator of hundreds of research publications and serves as site principal investigator for multiple research grants from the National Institutes of Health and other leading funders.
Dr. Marwan Sabbagh is a neurologist in the Alzheimer’s and Memory Disorders Program at Barrow Neurological Institute. He is board certified in neurology by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.
Dr. Sabbagh’s expertise includes the diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and other memory disorders. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Neurology.
Dr. Sabbagh earned his medical degree from the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Tucson and his undergraduate degree from the University of California—Berkeley. He completed his neurology residency at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, and a geriatric neurology and dementia fellowship at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine.
Dr. Sabbagh is a leading investigator of many prominent national Alzheimer’s prevention and treatment clinical trials. He serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease and Alzheimer’s and Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions. He is the editor-in-chief of Neurology and Therapy. Dr. Sabbagh is a prolific author who has written and edited books on Alzheimer’s disease and has contributed to hundreds of medical and scientific articles.
Dr. Pierre Tariot is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Psychiatry with added qualifications in geriatrics. He was a Fellow at the National Institute of Mental Health Intramural Research Program, then faculty at the University of Rochester Medical Center. Since 2006, he has served as Director of the Banner Alzheimer’s Institute in Phoenix and Research Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Arizona.
His work has focused on care and study of people with and at risk for Alzheimer’s, design and implementation of clinical trials for prevention and treatment, development of biomarkers, characterization and treatment of neuropsychiatric features of dementia and demonstration of effective dementia care.
He has served as Principal Investigator on more than 50 clinical trials related to Alzheimer’s and has published over 400 papers on these topics including studies that have led to FDA approval of medications, with research support from NIA, NIMH and the Alzheimer’s Association.
Dr. Paul Winner is the Senior Director of Premiere Research Institute and Attending Neurologist at Palm Beach Neurology in West Palm Beach. He is the Founder and Director of the Palm Beach Headache Center. Dr. Winner is a Clinical Professor of Neurology at Nova Southeastern University, Ft. Lauderdale, FL.
Dr. Winner has been appointed the Director of the Palm Beach Memory Disorder Center. He is a Principal Investigator and a Sub-Investigator for multiple Memory Disorder Studies presently being conducted at the Premiere Research Institute.
Dr. Winner received his medical degree from the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed residencies in Pediatrics and Neurology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York. He was a Neuromuscular Fellow in the Department of Neurology at Cornell University Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. He was also Assistant Professor of Neurology at the Montefiore Headache Center in New York and completed a mini fellowship in epilepsy at the Bowman Gray School of Medicine. He is Diplomat of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology with Special Competence in Child Neurology. Dr. Winner is certified by the United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties in Headache Medicine. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology, and the American Headache Society.
Dr. Winner is an active member in the American Medical Association, the American Osteopathic Association, American Academy of Neurology, American Headache Society, FMA and the FOMA. Dr. Winner is President of the Florida Association for the Study of Headache and Neurologic Disorders; Past-President of the American Headache Society; and a Past-President of Florida Society of Neurology.
In addition, Dr. Winner has published numerous journal articles and multiple textbooks for the medical community and the general public. He is a national speaker and educator to the medical community and the general public.
Advisory Board
Melina Cimler is the CEO and Founder of PandiaDx LLC. She has over 28 years of experience in the life science and FDA-regulated diagnostic industry, leading regulatory, quality systems, clinical affairs, research, and product development organizations, with a focus on precision medicine.
Dr. Cimler served as Senior Vice President of Regulatory & Quality at Adaptive Biotechnologies until April 2018. She was previously Head of Global Quality and Vice President of Quality, Regulatory, Clinical, and Government Affairs at Illumina Inc. She defined and executed on the regulatory strategy resulting in the first next generation sequencing platform receiving FDA marketing authorization (Illumina’s MiSeqDx).
Previously, she held leadership positions in quality, regulatory and government affairs as Senior Vice President at Beckman Coulter Inc. She also served in senior quality, clinical and regulatory roles at Abbott Molecular, Gen-Probe Inc., and C.R. Bard, and as head of Product Development at Epitope, Inc. (now OraSure Technologies). Dr. Cimler holds a Ph.D. in Pharmacology from the University of Washington.
Larry Ereshefsky over his 45 years’ career applies his experience as a clinician, scientist and investigator, to develop treatments and innovate clinical methodologies to make a difference in the lives of patients with Neurodegenerative and Psychiatric Disorders.
He has contributed significantly to several drug approvals spanning neurology and psychiatry, including drug development planning, PK/PD evaluation, and methodological innovation for Parkinson’s (PD), Alzheimer’s Diseases (AD), chronic and acute pain models, as well as numerous psychiatric indications including Schizophrenia, TRD, Bipolar and Anxiety Disorders. He has designed, implemented, supervised, and conducted more than 80 CNS clinical trials ranging from first into patient through to proof of concept, implements Asian Bridging strategies, and oversees large global Phase III registration trials. He is a leader in the use of signal detection strategies to minimize placebo response and insuring study designs preserve statistical power while preserving the blinding. Larry has a proven track record as an investigator, translational CNS scientist, and clinical advisor in designing and performing Phase I/IIA and clinical pharmacology studies.
He is a retired Regents Professor of Pharmacy, Psychiatry, and Pharmacology from The University of Texas/UT Health Science Center (UT). Subsequently, he was the CSO (Chief Scientific Officer) and Exec VP for California Clinical Trials, acquired by PAREXEL International where his role was VP, Principal Pharmacologist and Therapeutic Area Leader for CNS Early Phase with Global responsibilities. Throughout he continued as a clinical investigator actively involved in supporting the study teams at CCT and PAREXEL’s research facilities in Southern California, Baltimore, London, Berlin, and Bloemfontein. Currently, he is the owner of Follow the Molecule: CNS Consulting, providing services to pharma, CROs, technology vendors, and the ProScience Research Group. He serves as Chief Science Officer for APEX Innovative Sciences including their 2 x 60 bed early phase research units (CNS Network, CA and Hassman Research Institute, NJ).
He has been a leader in the application of translational drug development tools including neurocircuitry/biomarker based (RDoC) strategies, i.e., continuous CSF sampling, QEEG, ERP, PSG, sMRI, fMRI, MRS, PET, pain models including capsaicin, UV burn, NGF, allodynia evaluations, and cognitive and behavioral paradigms. Two harmonized Siemens 3T MRI centers have provided key target engagement and proof of mechanism data. He has worked with Michael J Fox Foundation on validating inflammatory markers and alpha-synuclein in PD, and with Washington University and the NIH in validating CSF Amyloid and Tau targets, including publishing data on most of the drugs that were or are now in development for AD, i.e., beta-, gamma-secretase inhibitors, small molecules targeting a variety of inflammatory and protein trafficking pathways, as well as experience with several neurotrophic active compounds. He has extensive experience with antibody, immunological modulation, and other large molecule strategies for AD, PD, and MS. He has particular expertise and skill in supporting complex, integrated (umbrella) and adaptive Phase I-II studies, including extensive experience using enriched and first-generation Asian populations and biomarker strategies. He was an early investigator of CYP studies evaluating ethnicity and drug-drug interactions, as well as glucose-insulin clamp/metabolic studies for atypical antipsychotic safety evaluations. Recently, he has supported the development of an APEX center of excellence for addictive and pain disorders, and psychedelic therapies. For the past 4 years he chaired the Steering Committee for ISCTM’s two Working Goups on Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (NPS): Agitation and Apathy; leading to adoption of Diagnostic Criteria and publications delineating a road map for drug development.
He was head of the UT laboratory applying the pharmacogenetics and pharmacokinetics of drugs to improve dosing and outcomes, and sub-investigator on in vitro and animal neuropharmacology studies. Credentialed as a clinical specialist for patient care and served as a Principal Investigator in over 50 clinical trials (sub-I in an additional 70). Dr. Ereshefsky’s unique perspective helps to guides preclinical development, PK/PD modeling, and clinical drug development plans informed by animal behavioral markers, and safety signals. He efficiently de-risks early phase drug development.
He served twice on the FDA Psychopharmacological Drugs Advisory Committee. His PharmD and Residency in Psychopharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy were at the University of Southern California and LA County Medical Center. His first grant support, while an undergraduate at UCLA, was from the Atomic Energy Commission studying the kinetics of organic Cobalt compounds.
Jay Kranzler has been a Founder, CEO, Board Member, and Advisor to leading life science companies for over 30 years. He is currently acting as Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Perception Neuroscience, Acting Chief Medical Officer of Pastorus, Board Member of Pastorus, Avenue Pharmaceuticals, and ImmunoBrain Checkpoint, and Advisor to small and large companies in the pharma/ biotech space.
After graduating from Yale University School of Medicine with MD and PhD degrees with a focus in psychopharmacology, Dr. Kranzler joined McKinsey & Company where he contributed toward founding the Firm’s pharmaceutical practice. In 1989, he became the Chief Executive Officer of Cytel Corporation, a company focused on the development of immunomodulatory drugs. He took Cytel public, and negotiated partnerships with both global and Japanese pharmaceutical companies that set new standards for deal size and structure. After Cytel, Dr. Kranzler became Chief Executive Officer of Cypress Bioscience (formerly IMRE Corporation) where he was credited for the development of Savella™ (milnacipran) for the treatment of fibromyalgia, and Karuna Pharmaceuticals, focusing on the treatment of Schizophrenia.
Dr. Kranzler joined Pfizer in April 2013, becoming Vice President, Head of External R&D Innovation Pharmatherapeutics and Strategic Investments, with responsibility for multiple therapeutic areas and technologies including Neuroscience, Pain, Rare Diseases, and Gene Therapy, as well as with developing and leading Pfizer’s R&Dnnovate Venture Fund.
In addition, Jay is the Founder and Principal of Jay D Kranzler Consulting, LLC, and advises multiple institutional investors as well as pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. During his career, Dr. Kranzler has developed drugs, medical devices, as well as diagnostics, and is the inventor on over 30 patents. Dr. Kranzler received the Innovator award from the International Society of CNS Clinical Development, has been nominated twice as the “Entrepreneur of the Year” and is an Adjunct Professor, at New York University’s Stern School of Business and School of Medicine, serves on The NYU Entrepreneurial Institute’s Advisory Board, and was an Executive in Residence at UCSD’s Rady School of Management.
Frank Rockhold has had diverse research interests and consulting experience in industry and academia including clinical trials design, data monitoring, benefit/risk, and most recently, safety and pharmacovigilance. He has been a leader in the scientific community in promoting data disclosure and transparency in clinical research.
In addition to his role of full-time Professor of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics at Duke Clinical Research Institute, Frank is also Managing Partner of HunterRockhold, Inc. His 40+-year career includes senior research positions at Lilly, Merck, and GlaxoSmithKline, where he recently retired as Senior Vice President of Global Clinical Safety and Pharmacovigilance. He has also held faculty appointments at six different universities. Frank served for 9 years on the board of directors of the non-profit CDISC, most recently as Chairman, and is past president of the Society for Clinical Trials. He is a past member of the PCORI Clinical Trials Advisory Panel and is on the board of the Frontier Science and Technology Research Foundation.
Frank holds a BA in Statistics from The University of Connecticut, an ScM in Biostatistics from The Johns Hopkins University, and a PhD in Biostatistics from the Medical College of Virginia at Virginia Commonwealth University. Frank is a Fellow of both the American Statistical Association and the Society for Clinical Trials and an Accredited Professional Statistician, PStat®. He is widely published in major scientific journals across a wide variety of research topics.
Marwan Sabbagh is a board-certified neurologist and geriatric neurologist. Considered one of the leading experts in Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, he is the Director of Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health and Camille and Larry Ruvo Endowed Chair for Brain Health. Dr. Sabbagh has dedicated his entire career to finding a cure for Alzheimer’s and other age-related neurodegenerative diseases.
Dr. Sabbagh is a leading investigator for many prominent national Alzheimer’s prevention and treatment trials. Dr. Sabbagh is on the editorial board for Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease and BMC Neurology. He is now editor in chief of Neurology and Therapy. He has authored and co-authored more than 320 medical and scientific articles on Alzheimer’s research.
Dr. Sabbagh is the author of The Alzheimer’s Answer: Reduce Your Risk and Keep Your Brain Healthy, with foreword by Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, and of The Alzheimer’s Prevention Cookbook: 100 Recipes to Boost Brain Health. He has edited Palliative Care for Advanced Alzheimer’s and Dementia: Guidelines and Standards for Evidence Based Care and Geriatric Neurology, published in 2014.
He has been recognized with numerous awards, including WestMarc Innovator Award, 2015; Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology, 2004; Arizona Business Journal, Healthcare Hero Finalist, 2004; Peter F Drucker Award co-recipient, 1998; and Travel Fellowship Award recipient, American Neurological Association, 1996.
Dr. Sabbagh earned his undergraduate degree from the University of California-Berkeley and his medical degree from the University of Arizona in Tucson. He received residency training in neurology at Baylor College of Medicine and completed a fellowship in geriatric neurology and dementia at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, where he served on the faculty as assistant professor. Before joining the faculty of Barrow Neurological Institute where he served for three years, he was with the Banner Sun Health Research Institute for 15 years.
Eric Siemers, M.D. has performed clinical research in neurodegenerative disease for over 25 years. After completing his residency in the Department of Neurology at Indiana University in 1986, he founded and headed the Indiana University Movement Disorder Clinic. His research there included investigations of Parkinson’s disease and Huntington’s disease; he played a major role in one of the first studies of at-risk Huntington’s disease, and he established one of the first centers for surgical PD treatments in the US. In 1998, Dr. Siemers joined Eli Lilly and Company and rose to the rank of Distinguished Medical Fellow. While at Lilly, he first performed studies of investigational medications for Alzheimer’s disease in early phase clinical trials, and subsequently joined the late phase Alzheimer’s Disease Global Development Team. In this capacity Dr. Siemers was responsible for the design and implementation of 5 large phase 3 studies of AD sponsored by Lilly, in addition to playing a major collaborative role in 2 public-private partnerships.
Major research interests include the use of biomarkers in investigational drug research, the development of trial designs that fully characterize the effects of investigational drugs on chronic diseases, and more specifically the development of strategies for treating individuals before the onset of symptoms of neurodegenerative diseases.
Dr. Siemers was a founding member of the Alzheimer’s Association Research Roundtable which he chaired from 2014-2017. He has served as a member of the Steering Committee for the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), which is funded by the National Institute on Aging and a consortium of pharmaceutical companies and served as the chair of the Industry Scientific Advisory Board for ADNI in 2007. He is a past member of the Board of Directors of the American Society of Experimental Neurotherapeutics. Dr. Siemers participated as a member of the NIA/Alzheimer’s Association working group that proposed criteria for preclinical Alzheimer’s disease in 2011; he is a member of the subsequent working group that published a “Research Framework” for nomenclature using biomarkers and clinical symptoms for the entire Alzheimer’s disease continuum.
Dr. Siemers is currently a consultant for a variety of efforts regarding the development of therapeutics and diagnostics for neurodegenerative diseases.
Dave Weiner is Chief Medical Officer of Lumos Pharma. Dr. Weiner has over 20 years of experience in the discovery and clinical development of novel therapeutics for neurological disease. He started his career at ACADIA Pharmaceuticals, where, over a ten-year period, he held a series of discovery research and clinical development roles working on multiple CNS therapeutics, most notably Pimavanserin. He subsequently joined EMD Serono, in a late clinical development role, and ultimately heading early clinical development activities in neurology globally. Dave has extensive experience in rare disease drug development, serving as CMO and Interim CEO for Proteostasis Therapeutics Inc., and most recently as CMO at aTYR Pharma, Inc.
Dr. Weiner received his M.D. from the School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, SUNY at Buffalo, and was a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Research Scholar at the National Institute of Health in Bethesda. He trained in clinical neurology at New York Hospital, Memorial Sloan Kettering, Cornell Medical Center, and did a post-doctoral fellowship in Neuropharmacology at the University of Vermont. Dr. Weiner’s clinical experiences have included patient care and clinical teaching responsibilities at both the University of Vermont, and the University of California, San Diego.
Dr. Weiner has authored over 30 scientific publications, multiple patents, and serves on a number of clinical and scientific advisory boards, including the scientific advisory board of the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson Research.