The Blavatnik Fund for Innovation at Yale awards $3.1M to support platform technologies, gene therapies, and innovations in inflammatory diseases and cancer
Yale Ventures is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2024 Blavatnik Awards: 12 Yale faculty-led projects will receive $3.1 million in accelerator funding to translate their research into life-saving solutions. The Blavatnik Fund for Innovation at Yale, made possible by a generous grant from the Blavatnik Family Foundation, supports Yale faculty in the commercialization of biomedical and digital health innovations. This year’s recipients will be recognized at a ceremony during the 2024 Yale Innovation Summit taking place on May 29 – 30.
The 2024 Blavatnik awardees are pioneering solutions across a wide spectrum of scientific challenges, from healthcare advancements to digital innovations. Their projects demonstrate the depth of Yale’s commitment to cross-disciplinary research that not only advances our understanding of the world but also contributes tangible benefits to society.
Michael Crair, Vice Provost for Research and William Ziegler III Professor of Neuroscience remarked, “The Blavatnik Fund for Innovation at Yale underscores our commitment to fostering groundbreaking research in the life sciences and digital health. These twelve awards are a testament to the energy and ingenuity of our faculty and their teams. Each project has the potential to make significant contributions to its field and, more importantly, to improve human lives. We are immensely proud of this year’s awardees and excited to see their projects develop.”
The Blavatnik Fund for Innovation at Yale bridges the gap between innovative, early-stage life science research and successful development of high-impact biomedical products. In addition to funding, the program also provides mentorship and support through the challenging early stages of venture creation and commercialization.
The 2024 Blavatnik Fund for Innovation at Yale Awarded Projects
Frank Buono, PhD, Associate Research Scientist in Psychiatry
Dynamic 3D Morphometric Analysis
Craig M Crews, PhD, John C. Malone Professor of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology and Professor of Chemistry, of Pharmacology, and of Management; Executive Director, Yale Center for Molecular Discovery
Fimmti Therapeutics
Antonio Giraldez, PhD, Fergus F. Wallace Professor of Genetics
RESA Therapeutics: Engineering Therapeutic mRNAs
Peter M. Glazer, MD, PhD, Robert E. Hunter Professor of Therapeutic Radiology and Professor of Genetics; Chair, Therapeutic Radiology
Altera Therapeutics
Raymond Johnson, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Medicine (Infectious Diseases) and of Microbial Pathogenesis; Director ID/Rheum Research Conference, Internal Medicine
Biotherapeutic for Systemic Sclerosis
Daryl Klein, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Pharmacology
Asteryks Therapeutics: Developing the First ROS1 Biologics for Cancer
Emily Lee, MD, Assistant Professor Adjunct and Jose Cortes-Briones, PhD, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry
Non-Invasive Fetal Electroencephalogram (EEG)
Alicia Little, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Dermatology, Director of Yale Vulvar Dermatology Clinic
Novel Mechanism for Treating Cutaneous Lupus: Topical Non-Steroid Treatment
Peggy Myung, MD, PhD, Vice Chair of Research; Associate Professor of Dermatology and of Pathology
NuFoll: Programming Skin Cells to Regrow Natural Hair
Steven Reilly, PhD, Assistant Professor of Genetics
CODA – Bringing Specificity to Gene Therapy
Jason Sheltzer, PhD, Assistant Professor of Surgery (Oncology) and of Genetics
Expanding the Universe of Cancer Therapies by Targeting Aneuploidy
Prashanth Vallabhajosyula, MD, MS, Associate Professor of Surgery (Cardiac); Surgical Director of the Aortic Institute, Cardiac Surgery; Associate Program Director Cardiothoracic Surgery Residency, Surgery
Trexome: A Novel Non-Invasive Biomarker Platform for Heart Transplant Rejection Monitoring
Meet all Blavatnik Awardees from 2017 - 2014
The 2024 Blavatnik Fund for Innovation at Yale Awarded Projects
Frank Buono, PhD, Associate Research Scientist in Psychiatry
Dynamic 3D Morphometric Analysis
Craig M Crews, PhD, John C. Malone Professor of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology and Professor of Chemistry, of Pharmacology, and of Management; Executive Director, Yale Center for Molecular Discovery
Fimmti Therapeutics
Antonio Giraldez, PhD, Fergus F. Wallace Professor of Genetics
RESA Therapeutics: Engineering Therapeutic mRNAs
Peter M. Glazer, MD, PhD, Robert E. Hunter Professor of Therapeutic Radiology and Professor of Genetics; Chair, Therapeutic Radiology
Altera Therapeutics
Raymond Johnson, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Medicine (Infectious Diseases) and of Microbial Pathogenesis; Director ID/Rheum Research Conference, Internal Medicine
Biotherapeutic for Systemic Sclerosis
Daryl Klein, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Pharmacology
Asteryks Therapeutics: Developing the First ROS1 Biologics for Cancer
Emily Lee, MD, Assistant Professor Adjunct and Jose Cortes-Briones, PhD, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry
Non-Invasive Fetal Electroencephalogram (EEG)
Alicia Little, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Dermatology, Director of Yale Vulvar Dermatology Clinic
Novel Mechanism for Treating Cutaneous Lupus: Topical Non-Steroid Treatment
Peggy Myung, MD, PhD, Vice Chair of Research; Associate Professor of Dermatology and of Pathology
NuFoll: Programming Skin Cells to Regrow Natural Hair
Steven Reilly, PhD, Assistant Professor of Genetics
CODA – Bringing Specificity to Gene Therapy
Jason Sheltzer, PhD, Assistant Professor of Surgery (Oncology) and of Genetics
Expanding the Universe of Cancer Therapies by Targeting Aneuploidy
Prashanth Vallabhajosyula, MD, MS, Associate Professor of Surgery (Cardiac); Surgical Director of the Aortic Institute, Cardiac Surgery; Associate Program Director Cardiothoracic Surgery Residency, Surgery
Trexome: A Novel Non-Invasive Biomarker Platform for Heart Transplant Rejection Monitoring
Meet all Blavatnik Awardees from 2023 - 2017.
About Yale Ventures
Launched by Yale University in 2022, Yale Ventures seeks to foster and accelerate a vibrant entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem that increases support, resources, and opportunities for Yale innovators—faculty and students—as they translate their ideas and discoveries into new ventures that will positively impact the world's greatest challenges.
About the Blavatnik Family Foundation
The Blavatnik Family Foundation supports world-renowned educational, scientific, cultural, and charitable institutions in the United States, the United Kingdom, Israel, and across the globe. Led by Len Blavatnik, founder of Access Industries, the Foundation advances and promotes innovation, discovery, and creativity to benefit the whole of society. Over the past decade, the Foundation has contributed more than $1 billion to over 250 organizations.