Zhizhong (Joel) Yao

Zhizhong (Joel) Yao is a Partner in the Sofinnova Biovelocita Strategy. He joined us in 2015 as an analyst focusing on early-stage biotech/biopharmaceutical investments.

Prior to joining Sofinnova, Zhizhong was a Human Frontier Science Program Cross-Disciplinary Fellow at the French National Institute of Agriculture Research.

"I really love working in this new acceleration strategy," he said. "The hands-on approach to building companies really appeals to the scientist in me. And we are translating discoveries in the laboratory into novel medicines."

Zhizhong is a fellow of the Society of Kauffman Fellows. He has served as a Directoror Observer on the boards of multiple companies, including Mablink Bioscience (acquired by Eli Lilly), Nodthera, Mnemo, GlycoERA, DISCO, and EnsoCell.

Zhizhong received his PhD in Chemistry and Chemical Biology from Harvard University in conjunction with Systems Biology at Harvard Medical School and was a teaching fellow and life-science residential advisor at Harvard College. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and Molecular Engineering from Peking University.