Blavatnik Fund for Innovation at Yale to Support 12 Life Sciences Projects in 2026 Spanning Oncology, Diagnostics, Neurology, Kidney and Liver Disease
Breakthrough ideas need more than a laboratory—they need a clear path to real-world impact. Since 2017, Yale University and the Blavatnik Family Foundation have partnered to accelerate promising discoveries beyond the university through the Blavatnik Fund for Innovation at Yale, a $65 million life sciences accelerator fund managed by Yale Ventures.
To date, the Fund has supported more than 98 unique projects, leading to 46 new ventures, 9 investigational new drug (IND) clearances, and translational work across a broad range of therapeutic and technical modalities. These include small molecules, biologics, nucleic acids, antibody-based therapies, diagnostics, medical devices, digital health tools, and platform technologies.
“The Blavatnik Fund is designed to help researchers overcome key translational hurdles, continuing Yale’s commitment to turning bold scientific discoveries into solutions that improve human health,” said Morag Grassie, executive director of the Blavatnik Fund for Innovation at Yale. “Through a hands-on, personalized approach, our team provides targeted funding and strategic guidance to help move promising ideas closer to patients and the marketplace.”
In 2026, the Blavatnik Fund will support 12 faculty-led projects advancing innovative approaches to cancer, neurodegeneration, respiratory virus diagnostics, kidney disease, aging, metabolic disease, and rare disorders.
Dr. Grassie continued: “This group of awardees represents an impressively diverse portfolio of innovation, including areas that are in the most sought-after sectors for investment community. This includes neurology, which account for almost 50% of this year’s awards.”
Meet the 2026 Blavatnik Awardees:
- Whitney Besse, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine (Nephrology)
PKD1 uORF-blocking antisense oligonucleotides as a therapy for autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease - Sreeganga Chandra, PhD, Professor of Neurology & Neuroscience
Development of a novel phosphospecific alpha-synuclein–targeting therapeutic approach - Richard Flavell, PhD, Sterling Professor of Immunobiology, Emeritus Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator
A therapeutic calcium channel–blocking antibody for cancer treatment - Ellen Foxman, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Laboratory Medicine and Immunobiology
VirusCheck: A new rapid screening test for respiratory virus infection - Seth Herzon, PhD, Milton Harris ’29 Ph.D. Professor of Chemistry; Co-PI: Ranjit S. Bindra, MD, PhD, Harvey and Kate Cushing Professor of Therapeutic Radiology and Professor of Pathology
New small molecules to treat homologous recombination–deficient cancers - Farren Isaacs, PhD, Professor of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology and of Biomedical Engineering; Co-PI: Jesse Rinehart, PhD, Associate Professor of Cellular and Molecular Physiology
Biosynthesis of therapeutic GLP-1 peptides - Janghoo Lim, PhD, Professor of Genetics and Neuroscience
A novel mechanism to treat neurodegenerative disease - David Pitt, MD, Associate Professor of Neurology
AstroScope: a novel neurodiagnostic platform - Eric Song, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor Adjunct of Immunobiology and Ophthalmology & Visual Science; Co-PI: Stephen Strittmatter, MD, PhD, AB, Vincent Coates Professor of Neurology and Professor of Neuroscience
Treating central nervous system aging through meningeal lymphatic stimulation - David Spiegel, PhD, Professor of Chemistry
Development of next generation targeted degraders of extracellular proteins - Silvia Vilarinho, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Medicine (Digestive Diseases) and of Pathology
Liver endothelial vascular reprogramming as a therapeutic strategy - Dan Wu, PhD, Gladys Phillips Crofoot Professor of Pharmacology
Best-in-class ferroptosis inhibitors for Friedreich’s ataxia
“Through the Blavatnik Fund for Innovation at Yale, we have built a robust ecosystem of entrepreneurs that helps faculty advance discoveries with real potential for societal impact,” said Michael Crair, vice provost for research and William Ziegler III Professor of Neuroscience. “At a moment when sustained investment in early-stage research is more critical than ever, the continued partnership with the Blavatnik Family Foundation ensures that promising innovations do not stall in the lab, but instead advance at the pace required to deliver meaningful health outcomes for patients.”
About the Blavatnik Fund for Innovation at Yale
The Blavatnik Fund for Innovation at Yale is a life sciences accelerator supporting the translation of Yale faculty discoveries into impactful healthcare solutions. Managed by Yale Ventures, the Fund provides project-specific funding, strategic guidance, and access to industry expertise to help bridge the gap between academic research and real-world application.
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 globally. Led by Len Blavatnik, founder of Access Industries, the Foundation advances innovation, discovery, and creativity to benefit society. Over the past decade, the Foundation has contributed more than $1.3 billion to over 250 organizations worldwide.