A biotech founded at University of Massachusetts Medical School is the first tenant to commit to Nan Fung Life Sciences Real Estate’s conversion of a Boston Seaport District office building into spec life science suites.

Atalanta Therapeutics, which launched in January with $110 million in venture capital funding, leased 35,000 square feet at 51 Sleeper St. The firm is researching treatments for neurodegenerative diseases.

Nan Fung Life Sciences Real Estate is a subsidiary of a Hong Kong-based real estate developer and was formed to pursue lab development in growing U.S. markets. The firm is building out spec suites at 51 Sleeper St. and One Winthrop Square to offer the biotech industry lab space on a rapid timetable.

Nan Fung acquired the 51 Sleeper St. property for $115 million in January 2020 and began work converting the 152,000-square-foot office building into lab-ready space. CEO Matthew Powers confirmed the initial tenant commitment by Atalanta.

Atalanta licenses technology developed at University of Massachusetts Medical School and is researching treatments for Huntington’s disease, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. It received its series A financing from Cambridge-based F-Prime Capital.

Demand for lab conversions is driving a series of projects throughout Greater Boston and recently received some pushback from Boston city councilors Ed Flynn and Michael Flaherty, citing insufficient outreach to neighborhood residents.

That argument played into the Boston Planning & Development Agency’s decision to table approval of an office-to-lab conversion at 321 Harrison Ave. in South End. Burlington-based Nordblom Co. has agreed to sell the under-construction 220,000-square-foot office building to BioMed Realty.

BPDA directors tabled the request at their April 15 meeting, citing the need for more outreach to neighborhood residents including non-English speakers. Flynn submitted a letter saying he would withhold his support of the project until developers meet with the Chinatown Resident Association.

BPDA board member Ted Landsmark alluded to a lawsuit filed against the agency in February 2020 by the Lawyers for Civil Rights, claiming insufficient translation services for East Boston residents during the BPDA’s review of the Suffolk Downs racetrack property redevelopment.

“If we are being held to a higher standard as a public agency to reach out to diverse populations adjacent to the buildings, then we’re going to hold private developers to the same standard,” Landsmark said. “Period.”

Todd Fremont-Smith, senior vice president for Nordblom Co., said the developers held a virtual community meeting including translators.

“We had public hearings and very few people showed up at the public hearing. The tenor is we hadn’t engaged with the community and I don’t think that’s necessarily fair,” he said.