Intrinsic Value. Scientific Value.
Cymba is led by experienced DNA/RNA scientists and inventors with a rigorous dedication to conservative business fundamentals and genuine, multi-decade value creation for all. We focus on converting advances in nucleic acid biology into new technologies or strategic investments. We are willing to take risk during periods of great uncertainty and will only pursue projects or technologies priced fairly or at a discount to intrinsic scientific value to maintain a wide margin of safety.
Brad J. Schmier, PhD
Founder & CEO
Brad J. Schmier, PhD, is a molecular biologist and life science investor specializing in the intersection of DNA, RNA, and antibody technologies. He earned an AB in finance and literature from Washington University in St. Louis, followed by a PhD in molecular biology and biochemistry from the University of Miami School of Medicine. Brad also served as a postdoctoral fellow and senior scientist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. Brad has multidecade expertise in the degradation and repair of DNA and RNA. His research has focused on the fate of DNA and RNA after ionizing radiation, the structural biology of enzymes that digest nanoRNA, and the discovery of RNA-targeted antibodies. Before founding Cymba and his career in science, Brad worked as a real estate investor in the Miami area and has nearly 20 years of experience investing in both real estate and biotechnology. When free from nucleic acids, Brad loves being a dad and husband, spending time with family and friends, speaking Spanish, and generally to be absorbed by books, guitar, basketball, and art.
Jake Hebert, PhD
Senior Scientist & Investment Officer
Jake Hebert, PhD, is a chemical biologist and investor focused on creating or investing in pioneering biotechnologies with sustainable competitive advantages. Jake earned a BS in biochemistry from Siena College and a PhD in chemical biology from the Weill Cornell Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Cornell University. His PhD thesis research focused on studying novel E3 ubiquitin ligases and their role in modifying histone proteins to affect epigenetic signaling pathways. Jake’s interests lie broadly at the convergence of translational science and entrepreneurship to understand how breakthrough scientific advances can enable organizations to obtain durable economic moats. Over the past 10 years, he has accumulated diverse experience through various roles at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Jones Trading, and the Weill Cornell Accelerating BioVenture Innovation initiative. Jake spends his free time cycling, playing golf, and experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen.
Amy Cayne Schwartz, JD
Advisor & Venture Partner
Amy Cayne Schwartz, JD, is the President and General Counsel of Genome Project-write (GP-write) and Co-founder, COO/CBO of Pearl Bio. Amy has assumed various roles at GP-write, including governance and genome engineering technology development, culminating in the launch of a next-generation CAD platform for genome design. At Pearl Bio, Amy manages all business, legal, and operational aspects of the company, which is advancing the development of programmable biologics. Prior to this, Amy was an Associate at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft in Real Estate Finance and Securitization law. She also practiced at Nixon Peabody in Complex Litigation and Real Estate Finance. Amy holds a BA in Political Science from the University of Pennsylvania and studied at the London School of Economics (LSE). She earned a JD from Fordham University School of Law, where she was a member of the Intellectual Property, Media, and Entertainment Law Journal. In her free time, Amy practices ballet and yoga, and enjoys long hikes and camping with her family.
Stewart Shuman, MD, PhD
Advisor
Dr. Shuman is a leading international investigator in the mechanisms and structures of enzymes involved in essential DNA and RNA transactions. He is the Simon H. Rifkind Chair at the Sloan-Kettering Institute in New York City, an American Cancer Society professor, and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Dr. Shuman holds a BA in Biology from Wesleyan University, a PhD in nucleic acid Biochemistry from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and an MD from the same institution. After completing a residency in Internal Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, Dr. Shuman pursued a fellowship in virology at the National Institutes of Health. In 1988, he joined the faculty at Sloan-Kettering Institute, where he has spent decades elucidating mechanisms of DNA and RNA repair, mRNA capping, and topoisomerase—research with broad implications for antiviral, antifungal, and cancer therapies. His laboratory integrates virology, biochemistry, structural biology, and genetics to explore enzyme systems across model organisms, including viruses, bacteria, fungi, and mammalian cells, aiming to identify novel enzymatic targets for therapeutic interventions. Dr. Shuman has published over 500 peer-reviewed scientific papers, mentored dozens of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, and served on the editorial boards of Virology, Nucleic Acids Research, Journal of Biological Chemistry, and RNA.
