Alla Arzumanyan

This legend right here is Alla Arzumanyan, this is one badass scientist and startup founder you gotta know. She’s part of YC’s S21 batch, which is no small feat, and she’s crushing it at the intersection of biotech and innovation.

So, Alla’s been deep in the game for a while. She’s a research associate prof at Temple University, in the Bio-Life building, doing some advanced stuff with natural molecules. Like, she’s all about using stuff our bodies already make, metabolites, to fight crazy diseases like autoimmune stuff, cancers, liver diseases, and even COVID damage. No fake chemicals, just using what’s already in us to heal, which is kinda new in pharma.

Back in 2017, she co-founded SFA Therapeutics. These guys are on a mission to shake up how we treat autoimmune disorders and cancers by leveraging these natural molecules. The goal? Safer, fewer side effects, and more targeted. And from what I hear, they’re making some real progress, early clinical trials look promising, especially for stuff like psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, leukemia, and even lung damage from COVID. That’s some big impact, no cap.

But she’s all about pushing boundaries, she’s also leading the charge at Temple with SYMBA, a breakthrough method for binding molecules that could change drug development. She’s published with top scientists and is deep in real science that has the power to change lives.

Her process? It’s all about using her science skills to solve real problems, not just publish papers. She jumped into biotech because she saw how natural, safer treatments could be a big change. She’s not doing this for fame, she genuinely wants to make a difference. That drive, that motivation, is what makes her stand out.

Honestly, Alla’s story is about turning research into real-world impact. She’s the kind of person who sees a problem, digs into the science, and finds a way to make it work in the messy world of medicine. That’s what startup energy looks like in biotech, a mix of academic smarts, hustle, and a deep desire to heal.

So yeah, Alla Arzumanyan? She’s the real deal, a scientist turned startup founder who’s all about using nature’s own molecules to fight some of the worst diseases out there. That’s the kind of person who’s gonna keep crushing it and changing the game.