Boston, MA – October 5, 2017 – Cerevance, a drug discovery and development company, today announced that Robert Malenka, M.D., Ph.D., has joined the company as a senior-level scientific advisor. Dr. Malenka is the Pritzker Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University. For over 30 years, his research has focused on the molecular mechanisms and functions of synaptic plasticity in a number of different brain regions including the hippocampus, nucleus accumbens, dorsal striatum and ventral tegmental area.
Dr. Malenka’s laboratory uses molecular manipulations in combination with cell biological, optogenetic and electrophysiological assays in a variety of different in vitro and in vivo preparations. His team performs experiments that incorporate molecular manipulations of defined neuronal populations with the goal of elucidating the functions of synaptic plasticity in defined circuits and behaviors. He has been an author on over 250 peer-reviewed publications, including more than 45 papers in Nature, Science and Cell and over 65 papers in Neuron and Nature Neuroscience.
“Dr. Malenka’s thoughtful and candid advice will be enormously helpful as we prioritize programs, interpret results and select targets for drug discovery,” said Brad Margus, Chief Executive Officer of Cerevance. “We look forward to drawing on his expertise as we discover new treatments aimed at psychiatric and neurological diseases.”
“Cerevance’s unique approach to molecularly profiling specific brain cell populations in human brain tissue provides an opportunity to identify new therapeutic targets for brain diseases without relying on animal models,” said Dr. Malenka. “Cerevance is assembling an impressive scientific team, and I look forward to working with them.”
Dr. Malenka has received numerous awards, including a Young Investigator Award from the Society for Neuroscience in 1993, the Daniel Efron Award from the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology in 1998, a Distinguished Alumni Award from Stanford Medical School in 1998, the International Prize in Neuroscience from the Dargut and Milena Kemali Foundation in 2000, the Basic Neuroscience Research Award from the Collegium Internationale Neuropsychopharmacologicum-Lilly in 2002, the Julius Axelrod Mentorship Award from the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology in 2011, the Medical Research Award in Neuropsychiatry from the Robert and Claire Pasarow Foundation in 2011, and the Julius Axelrod Prize, Society for Neuroscience in 2016.
He is also a Member of the National Academy of Medicine, a Fellow in the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a Fellow in the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and a Member of the National Academy of Sciences.
About Cerevance
Cerevance is a recently formed pharmaceutical company focused on central nervous system diseases. Our strengths include a powerful technology platform, a pipeline of novel discovery-stage and clinical-stage compounds and a proven team. We believe that we are well positioned to deliver life-changing therapeutics for patients who have brain-related disorders. For additional information, please visit www.cerevance.com.
Contacts
Cerevance:
Johnna Simoes, ir@cerevance.com
Media:
Andrew Mielach, amielach@lifescicomms.com, +1-646-876-5868