yale phd biomedical sciences

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Combined phd program in biological & biomedical sciences (bbs).

The Yale Combined Program in the Biological and Biomedical Sciences (BBS) is a doctoral program that enables you to take advantage of all of the resources found at a modern research university. Everything Yale has to offer – faculty, facilities, and campuses - is here in one comprehensive, interdisciplinary graduate program.

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Combined program in the biological and biomedical sciences (bbs).

55 College Street, 203.785.5663 https://medicine.yale.edu/bbs

Director Craig Roy

Fields of Study

The Combined Program in the Biological and Biomedical Sciences (BBS) is intended to enable students to explore their research interests before committing to a Ph.D. program or thesis adviser. To accomplish this aim, students apply to and spend their first year within one of eight scientific homes, called “tracks”: 

Biochemistry, Quantitative Biology, Biophysics, and Structural Biology (BQBS) Computational Biology and Bioinformatics (CBB) Immunology Microbiology Molecular Cell Biology, Genetics, and Development (MCGD) Translational Molecular Medicine, Pharmacology, and Physiology (TMMPP) Neuroscience Plant Molecular Biology (PMB)

There are approximately 450 faculty affiliated with the BBS Program, and they may affiliate with up to two of the tracks listed above. BBS faculty come from departments within the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, School of Medicine, School of Public Health, and School of Engineering & Applied Science. 

Typical course of study 

Year One  From within their track students take two to four courses per semester and conduct two to four lab rotations over the course of the year. Each track has its own course requirements and course recommendations, though students may take elective courses from anywhere in BBS. Although each track also has its own list of participating faculty, with the guidance of the track director, students may rotate in any BBS labs. In the spring of their first year students select a thesis adviser.

Year Two  Prior to the start of the year students leave their BBS track and formally join one of the Ph.D.-granting programs below that best aligns with the thesis lab and research project:

Cell Biology Cellular and Molecular Physiology Computational Biology and Bioinformatics Experimental Pathology Genetics Immunobiology Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program Microbiology Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Pharmacology Translational Biomedicine

Students in year two complete the course requirements for the graduate program they have joined, take a qualifying exam, and begin thesis research. Each BBS student is required to participate in two semesters (or its equivalent) of teaching during graduate school, but no student is expected to teach during the first year of study. Students may begin to fulfill this requirement in the second year.

Year Three and Beyond  Students focus primarily on thesis research, publishing their results, and presenting their work at scientific meetings. Students also finish fulfilling their teaching requirement. The median time to degree across the twelve BBS-affiliated Ph.D. programs is 5.7 years.

Financial support for BBS students comes from a variety of sources including Yale University fellowships, Gruber Science fellowships, Wu Tsai fellowships, National Institutes of Health (NIH) training grants, external fellowships awarded to students, departmental funds, and research grants from the NIH, NSF, foundations, and companies.

Medical research scholars program (MRSP)

Students applying to any BBS track may also apply to participate in the MRSP. See the MRSP description under Non-Degree-Granting Programs, Councils, and Research Institutes. For more information about the program and application process visit  https://medicine.yale.edu/bbs/training/nih-programs/mrsp . 

Integrated Graduate Program in Physical and Engineering Biology (PEB)

Students applying to the BQBS, CBB, MCGD, TMMPP, or Neuroscience tracks may also apply to be part of the PEB program. See the description under Non-Degree-Granting Programs, Councils, and Research Institutes. For more information about the program and application process visit  https://peb.yale.edu .

B&BS 640a / PATH 640a, Developing and Writing a Scientific Research Proposal   Katerina Politi

The course covers the intricacies of scientific writing and guides students in the development of a scientific research proposal on the topic of their research. All elements of an NIH fellowship application are covered, and eligible students submit their applications for funding. Enrollment limited to twelve. Required of second-year graduate students in Pathology and Molecular Medicine. Registration allowed by prior authorization from course directors only. M 9:25am-11:15am

B&BS 680b / IMED 680b, Topics in Human Investigation   Joseph Craft and Karen Anderson

The course teaches students about the process through which novel therapeutics are designed, clinically tested, and approved for human use. It is divided into two main components, with the first devoted to moving a chemical agent from the bench to the clinic, and the second to outlining the objectives and methods of conducting clinical trials according to the FDA approval process. The first component describes aspects of structure-based drug design and offers insight into how the drug discovery process is conducted in the pharmaceutical industry. The format includes background lectures with discussions, labs, and computer tutorials. The background lectures include a historical perspective on drug discovery, the current paradigm, and important considerations for future success. The second component of the course provides students with knowledge of the basic tools of clinical investigation and how new drugs are tested in humans. A series of lectures and discussions provides an overview of the objectives, research strategies, and methods of conducting patient-oriented research, with a focus on design of trials to test therapeutics. Each student is required to participate (as an observer) in an HIC review, in addition to active participation in class. Consent of instructor required. Th 3pm-4:30pm

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You are here

Applying through biological and biomedical sciences (bbs), below is a step-by-step guide on how to apply to peb through the biological and biomedical sciences (bbs) combined program:.

At the  Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Application Portal , enter your PIN number and password to start your application. Once in the application, navigate to “Program of Study” (using the left menu bar). Then:

1) Select “Biological and Biomedical Sciences (B.B.S.)” as the department or program to which you wish to apply.

2) Select “Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)” as the degree option.

3) Select “Full-Time” for attendance status.

4) Select the track you are applying to (BQBS shown in example image; possible tracks are Biochemistry, Quantitative Biology, Biophysics and Structural Biology (BQBS); Computational Biology and Bioinformatics (CBB); Molecular Cell Biology, Genetics, and Development (MCGD); Neuroscience; Molecular Medicine, Pharmacology, and Physiology; Plant Molecular Biology).

5) Select “Physical and Engineering Biology (PEB)” as an additional special program.

• MB&B Intranet

Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry

Graduate programs, biological and biomedical sciences (bbs).

Yale University offers integrated and interdisciplinary opportunities for graduate study under the newly organized  Program in Biological and Biomedical Sciences (BBS).  Students entering the BBS program can take courses, participate in laboratory rotations, and perform thesis research with any of the more than 200 faculty members in the biological sciences at Yale, located at the School of Medicine or nearby “Science Hill” ends of campus. The faculty members and students of the BBS program are organized into moderately sized, interest-based tracks to ensure individualized attention and maximize scientific interactions. Prospective students apply to the track that best matches their interests, although there is complete freedom to work with faculty members in any track or to switch tracks after arrival at Yale. 

Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry (MB&B)

The Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry (MB&B) department at Yale is designed to prepare students for careers as independent investigators in the broad area of molecular and structural biology. The faculty members have diverse interests and are drawn from several departments, including Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Chemistry, Pharmacology, and Genetics.

Current areas of research include:

• control of the cell cycle and animal development
• structure, function, and folding of proteins and nucleic acids
• catalytic RNAs and RNA processing
• signal transduction in plants and mammals
• structural organization of membranes
• mechanisms of transcription, replication, transposition, and recombination
• cell motility
• molecular immunology
• regulation of metabolism
• application of advanced computational methods to the study of macromolecules

• Standardized Testing Requirements
• PhD/Master's Application Process

Please review the standardized testing requirements for your program of study and register for any required examination(s) as soon as possible. Testing centers and available testing dates fill quickly.  

Use your legal name as it appears on your passport when registering for any standardized test (and also on your application for admission).

For more information, please review our FAQs on Standardized Tests .

Graduate Record Examination (GRE) 

The GRE is required for some degree programs at the Graduate School. Please check the table below to see if your program requires it.  

• Required = You must submit GRE General Test results. 
• Optional = You may submit GRE General Test results if you wish. If you choose to submit scores, you must follow any self-reported scores with official test results. 
• Not Accepted = Do not submit GRE General Test results. GRE General Test scores will not be considered when applications are reviewed. If you submit scores, they will not be reviewed.

Test requirements below are for the 2024-2025 application cycle.

Last updated July 2, 2024. Subject to change.

*Applicants to a combined degree program should consult both programs' admissions requirements and submit scores if either of the two programs require the GRE General Test and/or Subject Tests.

Submitting Official GRE Scores  

Official GRE scores must be sent to Yale University, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, directly from ETS.

• Use Institution Code 3987.  
• You do not need to enter an individual department code when sending your official scores. Institution Code 3987 is sufficient.  
• Paper score reports are not accepted.  
• Scores released to other schools at Yale University cannot be transferred to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.  
• If you are applying to a PhD program associated with one of the professional schools at Yale, send your official scores directly to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (Institution Code 3987) and not to the professional schools, which may have a separate code for applicants applying to other degree programs.  
• You should also self-report scores and any future test dates in your application.  

The Educational Testing Service administers the GRE in the United States and abroad. For details and registration forms, visit their site at www.ets.org .

English Language Tests - TOEFL iBT / IELTS Academic

TOEFL iBT or IELTS Academic is required of most applicants whose native language is not English.

You may be exempt from this requirement if you have received (or will receive) an undergraduate degree from a college or university where English is the primary language of instruction, and if you have studied in residence at that institution for at least three years. See "Exemptions" for more information. 

Official TOEFL iBT scores may be used to fulfill the English Language Test requirement.

• Scores must be sent to Yale University, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, directly from ETS.
• Use Institution Code 3987.
• You do not need to enter an individual department code when sending your official scores. Institution Code 3987 is sufficient.
• Paper score reports are not acceptable and scores released to other schools at Yale University cannot be transferred to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.
• If you are applying to a PhD program associated with one of the professional schools at Yale, send your official scores directly to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (Institution Code 3987) and not to the individual professional schools, which may have separate codes for applicants applying to other degree programs.

The Educational Testing Service administers the TOEFL in the United States and abroad. For details and registration forms, visit their site at https://www.ets.org/ .

Official IELTS Academic scores may be used to fulfill the English Language Test requirement.

• We will only accept official scores submitted electronically by the IELTS test center via the E-Delivery service.
• When you take this test, please specify Yale University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (also known as the Office of Graduate Admissions) as a score recipient. To identify us in the IELTS system, our address is Warner House, 1 Hillhouse Avenue, room 302, New Haven, CT 06511. Please do not send paper score reports to this address.
• We do not accept paper Test Report Forms, nor do we verify Test Report Forms (TRFs).
• We accept only IELTS Academic test scores. The IELTS General Training module is not accepted.

For more information and to register for the test, please visit https://ielts.org/

If you have received (or will receive) an undergraduate degree from a college or university where English is the primary language of instruction, and if you have studied in residence at that institution for at least three years, you are exempt from the English Language Test requirement and are not required to submit the TOEFL or IELTS.

No exemptions are made on the basis of an advanced degree (e.g., MA/MS or PhD) from any institution.

When you complete your application, you will answer questions about your native language and the primary language of instruction at your baccalaureate institution. If either was English, you will not be required to submit TOEFL or IELTS scores when you submit your application. No separate documentation is necessary. 

Note: If you are not required to report TOEFL or IELTS scores (i.e. you are exempt because English is your native language or was the language of instruction at your undergraduate institution and you were in residence three years or more), but you choose to self-report your TOEFL or IELTS scores in the application anyways, you will be required to also submit official test results for verification purposes.

General Management Admission Test (GMAT) - For Applicants to Management (PhD)

The General Management Admission Test (GMAT) is acceptable in lieu of the GRE for applicants to the PhD program in Management.

• To send official GMAT results, select Code 3TJ-30-78 for the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.
• Paper score reports are not accepted and scores released to other schools of Yale University cannot be transferred or used.

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Yale Urology CME Symposium

2nd Annual "Bulldog Debates"

Bulldog Debates

Don't miss our 2nd annual destination CME event at the Yale Club in NYC! We'll have expert Yale Urology faculty members and invited speakers debate important topics in urology, including:

Physician rate = $400

PhDs/Researchers = $275

APP and trainee rate = $200

Nurses rate = $100

Friday, November 1, 2024

• Welcome reception: 7-9 p.m. [optional]

Saturday, November 2, 2024

• Breakfast / Registration: 7 a.m.
• Symposium Part I [Andrology]: 8-11:15 a.m.

Welcome and Introduction - Isaac Y. Kim, MD, PhD, MBA

Keynote on Best Option for Peyronie's Disease - Landon Trost, MD

Debate on Male Contraception - Katherine Rotker, MD, Stanton Honig, MD, Landon Trost, MD

Debate on Best Treatment for Erectile Dysfunction - Trost, MD, Rotker, MD, Honig, MD

Debate on Complex Patient: Treat with Testosterone? - Trost, MD, Honig, MD, Rotker, MD

Debate on Best Compliance for Post Vasectomy Semen Analysis- Honig, MD, Trost, MD, Rotker, MD

• Symposium Part 2 [Pediatrics]: 1-3 p.m.

Introduction - Adam Hittelman, MD, PhD

Keynote on 20 Yrs of Building Programs, Innovating, Device Development - Chester Koh, MD, MBA

Debate on Nephrectomy vs. Pyeloplasty vs. Do Nothing - Chester Koh, MD, Angela Arlen, MD, Adam Hittelman, MD, PhD, Eric Bortnick, MD

Closing - Isaac Kim, MD, PhD, MBA

Sunday, November 3, 2024

• Breakfast: 7:15 a.m.
• Symposium Part 3 [Reconstruction]: 8-9:30 a.m.

Welcome and Introduction - Isaac Kim, MD, PhD, MBA

Keynote on MMC and Robotic Reconstruction of BNC & VUAS - Jill Buckley, MD, MBA

Debate on Injectables vs. Mucosal Advancement - Jaime Cavallo, MD, MPHS, Jill Buckley, MD, MBA, Joshua Sterling, MD, MSc

Debate on AUS vs. ProACT Following Radiation for PCa - Sterling, MD, MSc, Cavallo, MD, MPHS, Buckley, MD, MBA

• Symposium Part 4 [Oncology]: 10:15 a.m.-12:45 p.m.

Keynote on Penile Squamous Carcinoma - Curtis Pettaway, MD

Debate on Renal Mass Observation vs. Treatment with Ablation, SBRT, or Partial Nephrectomy - Thomas Martin, MD, Dinesh Singh, MD, Patrick Kenney, MD

Debate on Gleason 7 PCa: Transurethral Ablation vs. RALP vs. XRT - Isaac Kim, MD, PhD, MBA, Preston Sprenkle, MD, Curtis Pettaway, MD, Michael Leapman, MD, MHS

Case Presentation on Bladder Cancer and a New Concept in Care - Fed Ghali, MD

• Isaac Y. Kim, MD, PhD, MBA Professor of Urology; Chair, Urology; Chief, Urology; Co-Leader, Cancer Signaling Networks, Yale Cancer Center

UC San Diego Health

Texas Children’s Hospital - Baylor College of Medicine

University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Brigham Young University – Affiliate Faculty

• Angela Arlen, MD Associate Professor of Urology; Vice Chair of Education, Department of Urology
• Eric Bortnick, MD Assistant Professor of Urology
• Jaime A. Cavallo, MD, MPHS Assistant Professor of Urology; Director of Male Genitourinary Reconstructive Surgery, Urology; Vice Chair of Quality and Safety, Urology
• Fed Ghali, MD Assistant Professor
• Adam Benjamin Hittelman, MD, PhD Associate Professor in Urology; Section Chief of Pediatric Urology, Urology
• Stanton Honig, MD Professor of Urology; Director, Men's Health, Urology; Chair for the Reproductive & Sexual Health Committee, Urology; Sexual Medicine and Reproductive Health Chief, Urology
• Patrick A. Kenney, MD Assoc Dean for Clinical Affairs and Chief Ambulatory Physician Executive
• Michael S. Leapman, MD, MHS Associate Professor of Urology; Clinical Program Leader, Prostate & Urologic Cancers Program, Yale Cancer Center; Assistant Professor, Chronic Disease Epidemiology
• Thomas V. Martin, MD Associate Professor of Urology; Vice Chair of Clinical Affairs, Urology
• Katherine Rotker, MD Assistant Professor
• Dinesh Singh, MD Associate Professor of Urology; Endourology Chief, Urology; Director, Laparoscopy & Endourology, Urology; Director, Endourology Fellowship, Urology
• Preston C. Sprenkle, MD Associate Professor of Urology; Co-Chair, Cancer Liaison Committee, Oncology; Co-Chair, NCCN Guidelines Committee on Prostate Cancer Early Detection; Division Chief, Division of Urology at VA Connecticut Healthcare System, Urology; Director, Urology Research Fellowship, Urology
• Joshua Sterling, MD, MSc Assistant Professor

Related Link

• Registration Open through October 18, 2024

Biomedical Engineering

• Undergraduate Study
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We are a young department — founded in 2003 — but we build on decades of research and education in medicine and engineering at one of our nation's oldest and most distinguished universities.

Biomedical Engineering at Yale has two related goals: first, the use of the tools and methods of engineering to better understand human physiology and disease; second, the development of new technologies for diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of human disease.

Read more from Department Chair James S. Duncan >>

Areas of research.

Biomedical Imaging

Biomolecular Engineering

Drug Delivery

Tissue Engineering

Department faculty.

Ian Simon (PhD ’08, Biology and Biomedical Sciences)

What did you study at yale and what is your current profession/job.

I am a science policy analyst at the IDA Science and Technology Policy Institute (STPI). I entered the BBS program in 2002 via the Microbial Pathogenesis track and graduated in 2008. I studied the pathology and immunology of Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (VSV) as a viral vaccine vector.

What do you like most about your current role? What do you find most challenging and/or rewarding?

What I like most about my role is being able to work with dozens of very smart, dedicated people, both inside and outside of the U.S. government, who work extremely hard to advance science in this country and use the best science to advance society. What I find most challenging is working though the bureaucratic and political challenges that are inherent in government and national policy decision making.

The most rewarding part of my role is that it affords me a way to inform national policy decisions through analyses that are grounded in evidence and scientific thinking. But, this is an ideal that is not always achieved.

How did your time at Yale shape your career trajectory?

My time at Yale was instrumental in shaping my career trajectory. Exposure to the brilliant and rich tapestry that is the Yale community allowed me to explore my interests in politics and policy while being around best minds in science, environmental justice, law, medicine, economics, history, etc. I met alumni who previously took this career path, which gave me confidence to explore my own career path in science policy.

What are the main skills that you acquired as a PhD student which help make you successful in your current career?

Like all PhD students, I acquired many transferrable skills that are valuable for one’s career in or out of academic science, including analytical thinking skills, the ability to synthesize and analyze complex technical information, and presentation skills.

Did you acquire any professional experience related to your line of work while in graduate school?

While in graduate school, I did many things to acquire experience that proved to be valuable professionally. But, I sought out those experiences because I was truly interested in the efforts or activities, rather than to build up my resume. I participated in Congressional lobby days, served as GSA Chair, co-organized genetic freedom briefings on Capitol Hill, audited public health economics courses, and volunteered with United Way of New Haven. How? I just put myself out there, looked for opportunities to learn, and said yes to anything that piqued interest.

What advice would you offer PhDs who are interested in your line of work?

I would advise BBS students who are interested in science policy to spend time outside of the lab, volunteering, participating, and engaging as much as you can to learn about the different aspects of science policy. There are many sides to science policy, and it is not just one field, area or activity. So don’t be shy about exploring and learning about the parts you like and the activities of least interest. BBS has many alumni who have taken this path, so ask them for informational interviews to learn more.

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Biomedical Data Science Program Accepts Four New Fellows

New biomedical data science fellows.

Yale and Boehringer Ingelheim have partnered to create a Biomedical Data Science Fellowship program for postdoctoral fellows. The program awards post-doctoral researchers a three-year fellowship that includes access to Yale’s robust computational resources, biomedical data repositories, and faculty expertise as well as Boehringer Ingelheim’s corporate labs, scientists, and executives.

“The collaboration with Boehringer Ingelheim is designed to create a world-class data science program that will drive development of novel methods and tools to analyze and interpret the many large and complex biomedical datasets that have been generated in recent years,” said Hongyu Zhao, Yale’s Ira V. Hiscock Professor of Biostatistics and a Yale professor of genetics, statistics and data science. Zhao is the program’s principal investigator.

With the program now in its second year, four new post-doctoral fellows – Rong Li, Dylan Duchen, Chuanpeng Dong, and Shubham Tripathi – began their work in September.

Li plans to analyze tumor, gene, and protein data in order to identify more specific subtypes of cancers for personalized patient treatment.

Duchen will use graphs to model immune cell profiles in individuals and identify which biological factors lead to better efficacy of treatments in patients.

Dong will use machine learning models to predict which paralog pairs (gene copies with different functions) could be effective in cancer immunotherapy.

Tripathi will create a mathematical model to determine which genes and cells directly affect immune responses, with the ultimate goal of being able to modulate this response.

The collaboration with Boehringer Ingelheim is designed to create a world-class data science program that will drive development of novel methods and tools to analyze and interpret the many large and complex biomedical datasets that have been generated in recent years. Hongyu Zhao

“These projects rely on data from both Yale and Boehringer Ingelheim, and the more data we share, the more we progress,'' said Dr. Xinxin (Katie) Zhu, MD, executive director of the Yale Center for Biomedical Data Science and manager of the Fellowship Program. “You cannot look at yourself as industry or academia. Boehringer Ingelheim and Yale share the same goal of talent development and retention and through this [partnership], we find the best of the best in the candidate and keep growing them,” said Zhu.

Dhananjay Bhaskar, a 2021 program fellow, said the program reshaped how he approaches research. “The scientific process is iterative and nonlinear, and the partnership with BI [Boehringer Ingelheim] has given me insight into the unique challenges and opportunities in conducting research for industry. It has been a wonderful learning experience that has broadened my perspective on how computational biology research can be applied to product development, cascading down to improved clinical outcomes and benefits to society,” he said.

The purpose of the fellowships goes far beyond advanced training in biomedical data science. “Of course, we're going to sharpen their [technical] skills, but that's not the only thing this fellowship is for,” Zhu said. “We would like to prepare them to be the next generation of leaders in the field and to have them serve as a bridge between universities and industry.”

Zhao considers the partnership as only the beginning of what will eventually be many future collaborations. “I think it’s an anchor to really start bringing people together,” he said. “There are a lot of things that can be derived from this.” In the past year, Yale and Boehringer Ingelheim have already partnered on a project sponsored independently of the fellowship program.

“This is a win-win both for Yale and for BI, where the partnership is a matchmaker, a platform for people to get to know each other,” said Zhu. “And we don't want to stop there…We want to be the bridge. We want to be the liaison. We want to build a community.”

• Data Science

Featured in this article

• Hongyu Zhao, PhD Ira V. Hiscock Professor of Biostatistics, Professor of Genetics and Professor of Statistics and Data Science; Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health
• Xinxin (Katie) Zhu, MD, PhD, FAMIA, FIAHSI Executive Director, Center for Biomedical Data Science

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Startup Stories: Curbing the Spread of Counterfeit Medicine

Adebayo Alonge ’16 and Amy Kao ’17 founded RxAll, a digital ecosystem that helps African pharmacies and public health agencies distribute high-quality medicines while preventing the sale of counterfeit products.

To mark the 10-year anniversary of Yale SOM’s Program on Entrepreneurship , we’re checking in with alums who benefitted from the program’s resources when launching their ventures.

When Adebayo Alonge ’16 and Amy Kao ’17 co-founded the healthcare startup RxAll as students at Yale School of Management, they offered one product: a hand-held scanner powered by artificial intelligence that could authenticate medicines for patients, helping protect people from counterfeit drugs.

Several years later, RxAll is an entire digital ecosystem connecting patients, pharmacies, drugmakers, and public health agencies across several African countries. The company now employs over 50 people, serves more than 5,000 pharmacies, and provides high-quality medications to nearly three million patients in Kenya, Nigeria, and Uganda. The company also offers financing to pharmacies in its network, 60 percent of which are owned by women.

“The vision is much broader now,” says Alonge, who serves as chief executive officer. “Initially, we were focused on authenticating medicines. Now, we’re raising the standards of health care delivery across Africa.”

The founding duo have a personal stake in RxAll’s success. Both Alonge and Kao, now the company’s strategic advisor and chief marketing officer, had to navigate health scares after ingesting fake drugs. Alonge came to SOM specifically to create a company that could curb the distribution of counterfeit medicines around the world.

Alonge and Kao say their time at SOM—especially the resources they accessed through the Program on Entrepreneurship —was invaluable. When launching RxAll, the pair relied on mentorship from SOM lecturer Robert A. Bettigole ’83 and courses on entrepreneurial finance, private equity and venture capital, and strategic leadership with Elon Boms ’07, David Cromwell, and Jeffrey Sonnenfeld . They also participated in the Yale Center for Biomedical Innovation & Technology Healthcare Hackathon and received a grant from the Yale School of Public Health .

In the coming months, RxAll expects to close its Series A funding round—the company raised $3.15 million in seed and pre-seed funding in 2020 and 2021 —and to expand its operations into several other countries in Africa. The founders hope to eventually launch programs in Asia as well.

“Just knowing that we can prevent at least one person from having to go through the traumatic experiences that we went through—that’s very much the driving force,” Kao says.

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Pobeda, Russia

Essential pobeda.

Friday, June 20, 2014

Maykop - the capital of the republic of adygea.