YSM Faculty Receive Awards for Innovation

Seven Yale School of Medicine (YSM) faculty were recently honored at the annual Yale Faculty Innovation Awards ceremony for their exceptional scientific innovations to improve human health. The awards recognize the contributions of faculty investigators whose inventions were licensed to new startup companies during the prior fiscal year. In addition to the YSM faculty, 10 others from across Yale were recognized for developing new technologies to address global challenges.

“Building an innovative startup is a massive undertaking,” said Josh Geballe, managing director of Yale Ventures, at the Yale Faculty Innovation Awards ceremony on Nov. 6. “The university appreciates, recognizes, and celebrates our investigators who take on the extra strain and personal sacrifice to see their research take root in new startup companies that can change the world.”

Addressing university leadership, faculty, staff, investors, partners, and family, Yale University Provost Scott Strobel presented the first award to Anna Marie Pyle, PhD, Sterling Professor of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology and professor of chemistry. Pyle founded RNAConnect, a life science technology company that provides advanced enzymatic tools that help researchers detect previously "invisible" information critical for understanding biological functions.

Strobel also honored Sidi Chen, PhD, associate professor of genetics and of neurosurgery and founder of MagicTime Medicine, a Yale spinout biotech startup pioneering novel viral and non-viral gene delivery, immune modulation, and vaccine approaches for the treatment of cancer and various other diseases.

Nancy J. Brown, MD, Jean and David W. Wallace Dean of Medicine and C.N.H. Long Professor of Internal Medicine, recognized CourageAS Biotherapeutics co-founders Jiangbing Zhou, PhD, professor of neurosurgery, and Yong-Hui Jiang, PhD, professor and chief of medical genetics. Established by Yale spinout Couragene and the Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics (FAST), CourageAS targets Angelman Syndrome, a rare neurogenetic disorder. Technology developed by CourageAS shows promise in addressing delivery hurdles for treatments of various diseases, including neurogenetic disorders.

Also honored by Brown, Smita Krishnaswamy, PhD, associate professor of genetics and of computer science, leads Ascent Bio, which uses AI to unravel biological networks and drive advancements in precision medicine and personalized healthcare. Combining innovation in medicine and engineering, Ascent Bio is building an AI-based molecule design engine to accelerate breakthroughs in drug discovery and enhance the design of novel therapies.

Megan L. Ranney, MD, MPH, dean of Yale School of Public Health and C.-E. A. Winslow Professor of Public Health and professor of emergency medicine, recognized Rohan Khera, MD, associate professor of cardiovascular medicine and director of the Cardiovascular Data Science (CarDS) Lab. Khera leads Ensight-AI, whose tools enhance ECG diagnostic capabilities and medical decision-making to identify signatures of structural heart disorders.

Michael Crair, PhD, vice provost for research, William Ziegler III Professor of Neuroscience, and professor of ophthalmology and visual science, presented the final award to Greg Tietjen, PhD, assistant professor adjunct of transplant surgery and co-founder of Revalia Bio. With breakthrough organ perfusion technology that revives human organs donated for research to conduct first-in-human organ trials, Revalia Bio creates a comprehensive data source that integrates anatomy, physiology, cellular, and molecular data.

“At Yale, curiosity, creativity, and ideas converge to set new paths for research and discovery that will benefit humanity,” said Maurie McInnis, PhD, president of Yale University. “Through Yale Ventures, Yale faculty and scholars are expanding the boundaries of knowledge to shape our future. I congratulate the 17 faculty members honored with the Yale Faculty Innovation Awards for advancing Yale's mission.”

Other Yale faculty who received the Yale Innovation Faculty Award were:

Jung Han, PhD, William A. Norton Professor in Technological Innovation: InPhred

Walter Jetz, PhD, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology and of forestry and environmental studies: Merops

Amin Karbasi, PhD, associate professor of electrical & computer engineering & computer science: Azar.ai

Ruzica Piskac, PhD, professor of computer science: Leibniz

Noah Planavsky, PhD, associate professor of earth & planetary sciences: CREW Carbon

Scott Shapiro, PhD, Charles F. Southmayd Professor of Law and professor of philosophy: Leibniz AI

Jorge M. Torres, JD, lecturer & entrepreneurship fellow: Vault Kinetics Inc.

Hailiang Wang, PhD, professor of chemistry: Oxylus Energy

Vincent Wilczynski, PhD, deputy dean of Yale School of Engineering & Applied Sciences and director of James S. Taylor Center for Engineering Innovation & Design: Vault Kinetics Inc.

Lawrence Wilen, PhD, senior research scientist in mechanical engineering & materials science: Vault Kinetics Inc.

Learn more about Yale Ventures and the Yale Faculty Innovation Awards.