MEDIA RELEASE PR36562
Dr. Floyd Bloom Joins aTyr Pharma's Scientific Advisory Board
SAN DIEGO, Oct. 22/PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ --
World Renown Neuroscientist Adds Pharmacology Insight on aTyr Pharma's Proprietary Protein Drug
Candidates
aTyr Pharma announced today that Dr. Floyd Bloom Professor Emeritus, Molecular and Integrative
Neuroscience Department at The Scripps Research Institute, has joined their scientific advisory board. A widely
acknowledged leader in the field of neurosciences, Dr. Bloom has been recognized with many honors, including
elected membership to the National Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Medicine, the American Philosophical
Society and the Royal Swedish Academy of Science. With over 400 scientific publications to his name, Dr. Bloom
brings rigorous and extensive scientific experience in understanding the biology and impact of drugs on human
diseases. This scientific expertise and perspective will be extremely valuable to aTyr Pharma's novel class of
biotherapeutics being discovered and developed to treat a wide variety of diseases, including neurological
disorders. Based on an entirely new class of naturally occurring proteins, the aTyr Pharma drug pipeline consists of
proteins hidden in the aminoacyl tRNA synthetases. Key enzymes in protein synthesis, aminoacyl tRNA
synthetases have recently been shown to have resected forms arising from splice variations or proteolysis, known
as resectins. These resectins have distinct functions not related to protein synthesis that can be exploited for
development as biotherapeutics.
According to Jeff Watson, Ph. D. and CEO of aTyr Pharma, "Developing a new class of biologics with
applications in a number of therapeutic areas such as inflammation, cardiovascular, hematology, neurology and
metabolism requires deep knowledge in particular disease areas. Dr. Bloom is the consummate scientist in the field
of neurobiology, and has shown ability to translate that knowledge into human therapies by his founding and role
as CEO at Neurome. We are thrilled to be able to apply his knowledge and expertise to our understanding of
resectin biology."
Professor Paul Schimmel, co-founder of aTyr Pharma, fellow National Academy member and Professor at the
Scripps Research Institute added, "I have known, respected and admired Dr. Bloom's integrity and scientific
excellence for decades. Dr. Bloom's unparalleled expertise brings additional scientific authority to what was already
a world class scientific advisory board at aTyr Pharma. Dr. Bloom's influence and guidance, will help us accelerate
our understanding and development of aTyr Pharma's novel class of therapeutic proteins."
About Dr. Bloom
After receiving an A. B., cum laude, from Southern Methodist University, Dr. Bloom went on to receive his M. D.
cum laude from the Washington university School of Medicine before completing a residency and internship at the
Barnes-Jewish Hospital. His scientific career has led to a number of key leadership positions such as Director of
Behavioral Neurobiology at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, Chief of the Laboratory of Neuropharmacology
at the National Institute of Mental Health, Chair Emeritus of the Department of Neuropharmacology at The Scripps
Research Institute. Awards and recognition of his scientific skills and contributions to society include 6 honorary
doctorates, the Pasarow Award in Neuropsychiatry, the Hermann van Helmholz Award, the Sarnat Award for
Mental Health Research and his election to prestigious societies such as the National Academy of Sciences, the
Institute of Medicine, the American Philosophical Society and the Royal Swedish Academy of Science.
Demonstrating a broad commitment to the advancement of science, Dr. Bloom has been the editor-in-chief of
Science, arguably one of the highest impact scientific journals in the world, and has also served as President of the
American Association for the Advancement of Science. One of the most influential scientists in the world, Dr. Bloom
has authored or co-authored over 400 research articles, 29 monographs, over 250 solicited reviews and articles,
over 50 editorials and over 300 abstracts.
About aTyr Pharma
aTyr Pharma, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery of an entirely new class of
biologics. aTyr Pharma's discovery engine for new biotherapeutics consists of novel proteins in the family of tRNA
synthetases with cell signaling activities distinct from the protein synthesis activities commonly associated with the
tRNA synthetases. These proteins are being developed as novel therapeutics to treat cancer, neurodegenerative
diseases, inflammation, cardiovascular diseases and metabolic disorders.
SOURCE: aTyr Pharma
CONTACT: Company, Cheryl Quinn,
Director of Business Development of aTyr Pharma,
+1-858-731-8390,
cquinn@atyrpharma.com;
or Media, Jennifer James of Alta Partners,
+1-415-362-4022,
jjames@altapartners.com,
for aTyr Pharma
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