Amir Nashat, PhD, is a managing partner in Polaris’ Boston office. Amir joined Polaris in April 2002 and focuses on investments in health care, consumer products, and energy.
Amir currently represents Polaris as a director of AgBiome, a Tyr Pharmaceuticals, BIND Therapeutics, Fate Therapeutics, Promedior Pharmaceuticals, Receptos (NASDAQ: RCPT), Scholar Rock, Selecta Biosciences, and Sun Catalytix. Additionally, Amir has served as a director of Adnexus Therapeutics (acquired by Bristol Myers Squibb), Athenix Corporation (acquired by Bayer), Avila Therapeutics (acquired by Celgene), Living Proof, Pervasis Therapeutics (acquired by Shire Pharmaceuticals) and served as a Board Observer of GI Dynamics (GID.AX). In addition to his role as an investor, Amir has also served as the initial CEO of Living Proof (known as Andora at the time), and Sun Catalytix Corporation.
Prior to joining Polaris, Amir completed his PhD as a Hertz fellow in chemical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a minor in biology under the guidance of Dr. Robert Langer. Amir also earned both his master of science and bachelor of science in materials science and mechanical engineering at the University of California, Berkeley.
Amir serves on the Mass General Brigham Innovation Fund and is a catalyst of the Deshpande Center for Technological Innovation at MIT. He previously served on the board of the New England Venture Capital Association. He has been named to the Forbes Midas list of "Top 100 Venture Capitalists."