Dr. Alfred P. Spada, Ph.D., has been Executive Vice President of Research and Development at Conatus Pharmaceuticals Inc. since February 2015. Dr. Spada has been the Chief Scientific Officer of Conatus Pharmaceuticals Inc. since April 2012. Dr. Spada served as Senior Vice President of Research & Development at Conatus Pharmaceuticals Inc. since July 2005. Dr. Spada CoFounded Conatus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in 2005. he has over twenty years of experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Dr. Spada served as Vice President of Preclinical and Pharmaceutical Development of Idun Pharmaceuticals, Inc. from 2000 to 2005. Prior to joining Idun Pharmaceuticals, Inc., he served as Department Director at Rhone-Poulenc Rorer (Aventis Pharmaceuticals as of December 1999) from 1990 to 2000 with responsibility for medicinal chemistry efforts in the area of cardiovascular disease. His team developed clinical candidates for the treatment of acute myocardial infarction, thrombotic disorders, coronary restenosis and lipid lowering. From 1985 to 1990, Dr. Spada held a series of positions with increasing responsibilities at Rorer Pharmaceuticals, Inc. during which he managed a team of chemists responsible for creating effective pharmaceutical compounds with potential use in the treatment of congestive heart failure and myocardial ischemia. Dr. Spada was awarded a B.S. degree in Chemistry with High Honors from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He also conducted Post-Doctoral research at Yale University.