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Nicholas Hertz, Ph.D

Founder & Chief Executive Officer

Nicholas T. Hertz, Ph.D. is the Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Montara Therapeutics, Inc., a startup focused on developing treatments for central nervous system (CNS) diseases based on precision medicine and genetically validated targets.31

Background and Education

Dr. Hertz is originally from Santa Monica, California. He graduated magna cum laude from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a bachelor's degree in biochemistry in 2006.4 He then pursued his Ph.D. in chemistry and chemical biology at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), working with Drs. Kevan Shokat and Al Burlingame.4 After completing his Ph.D. in 2013, he conducted postdoctoral research at Stanford University with Dr. Marc Tessier-Lavigne.42

Career Highlights

  1. During his time at UCSF, Dr. Hertz made a significant discovery related to PINK1, a mitochondrial kinase implicated in early-onset Parkinson's disease.2

  2. In 2013, he co-founded Mitokinin with Dr. Kevan Shokat to develop treatments for Parkinson's disease based on their discoveries at UCSF.2

  3. Mitokinin was acquired by AbbVie in 2023 for $110 million upfront, with a total potential deal value of up to $655 million.12

  4. In 2024, Dr. Hertz launched Montara Therapeutics to pursue therapies for CNS diseases, particularly focusing on Alzheimer's and other dementias.23

Achievements and Recognition

Dr. Hertz is an accomplished scientific leader with over 20 publications in prestigious journals such as Cell, Neuron, and others.5 He received the 2024 UCSF Alumni Early-Career Award for his achievements in the field of biomedical research.2

Personal Interests

Outside of his scientific work, Dr. Hertz is an avid surfer and finds inspiration in nature. He is married to Janel Molton Hertz, a fashion entrepreneur, and they have three children.2

Highlights

Aug 28 · linkedin

🌲 Yesterday, I had the pleasure of participating in a panel at the Nucleate Alumni Summit, held in the stunning Cathedral space at the Multiversity, surrounded by redwoods in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

🎤 I was honored to share the stage with Christalyn Rhodes, Ph.D. from Eli Lilly and Deepa Talpade from Bayer. Moderated by Heer Joisher, Co-President of Nucleate, we focused on strategies for successful pharma partnerships.

We discussed the essentials of collaboration, from initial stages to aligning innovation with pharma priorities. We highlighted the importance of positioning start-ups as valuable partners by understanding the strategic fit for each potential partner and by not overselling the science. 🚀

Congrats also to Soufiane Aboulhouda for being the "face" of Nucleate and wrapping his Ph.D. up just before the event 🔥

Great to see Ben Portney, Zach Cogan, and others at the event!

Aug 26 · linkedin

The team at Montara Therapeutics, Inc. is growing! Please see below for a Research Associate / Senior Research Associate position below.

Related Questions

What inspired Nicholas Hertz to start Montara Therapeutics?
How did Nicholas Hertz's work at UCSF influence his career?
What are the main goals of Montara Therapeutics?
How did the acquisition of Mitokinin by AbbVie impact Nicholas Hertz's career?
What personal experiences have driven Nicholas Hertz's focus on CNS diseases?
Nicholas Hertz, Ph.D
Nicholas Hertz, Ph.D, photo 1
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Location

San Francisco, California, United States