The Story of Metanoia
Metanoia Co-Founder Slavica Tudzarova
In May 2020, Metanoia Bio emerged from a series of serendipitous events in the lobby of Victoria, an apartment complex in Westwood, Los Angeles, situated not far from the UCLA campus.
The circumstances of the pandemic compelled two individuals to share this lobby, turning it into an unlikely hub for new encounters and ventures. Dr. Slavica Tudzarova, now serving as Scientific Co-founder of Metanoia, and Brent Cohen, Co-founder and Executive Chairman of Metanoia, found themselves overlapping in Zoom meetings and struck up an unlikely collaboration right there in the lobby.
Brent's exposure to the scientific research unfolding in Dr. Tudzarova's lab piqued his curiosity, leading to an exchange of insights across their respective fields. Leveraging his expertise as an entrepreneur and industry leader in the tech field, Brent introduced Slavica to his extensive business and clinical network. Against the backdrop of the lobby, they engaged in brainstorming sessions, sought feedback, and gleaned valuable insights from Brent's associates. This is how the first seedlings of Metanoia were planted.
Inspired and motivated by the unprecedented circumstances, these two individuals selected a logo that symbolizes Metanoia's origin during the pandemic and its aspiration to develop transformative therapies. They were particularly drawn to a quote by C.G. Jung: "No tree can grow to heaven unless its roots reach down to hell." The very name, Metanoia, derived from the Ancient Greek μετάνοια, meaning “change of mind/heart,” reflects their belief, shared with Jung, that true healing stems from profound transformation.