Synthorx founder mysteriously leaves Scripps Research

Aug. 9, 2019

A lead scientist at La Jolla’s Scripps Research has left the biomedical institute, where he had been investigated for a possible violation of Title IX, a law prohibiting sex discrimination in education programs that get federal financial assistance.

Floyd Romesberg, scientific founder of biotech company Synthorx, is known internationally for successfully engineering bacteria to replicate using two synthetic letters of DNA, in addition to the four natural ones. To commercialize this discovery, Romesberg co-founded Synthorx in 2014 and became its scientific adviser and a board member. Dr. Romesberg continues to be an adviser for Synthorx research programs and a director of the board.

As for Scripps Research, they will not reveal why Romesberg left the institute in mid-June. The company's investigation found no violation of Title IX.

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