Morag Grassie, PhD

Dr. Morag Grassie is the Executive Director of the Blavatnik Fund for Innovation, previously serving as its Director. Morag has over 30 years of experience in the pharma industry, entrepreneurship, and academic research. After graduating from Glasgow University with a BSc in molecular biology and PhD in virology, she held positions in academia, the pharmaceutical industry and a Yale biotech startup before joining Yale in 2018. Prior to this appointment, she was the Senior Associate Director for the Blavatnik Fund for Innovation at Yale and Associate Director, Business Development.

Dr. Grassie has advised, expanded, and advanced the Blavatnik portfolio, and using her passion for people and curiosity for knowledge extended her role in 2022 to include business development, with a special interest in supporting the "quiet voice" of researchers who may not believe their research is ready for translation. In this area, she co-founded amplifyHERscience in 2020, an initiative within Yale Ventures to advance parity of Yale entrepreneurs to reflect the diversity of the community and ensure innovation support is utilized by all.