Yael Ofir MD, PhD

Dr. Yael Derdikman Ofir is a physician-scientist, cancer immunology researcher, and entrepreneur currently serving as a Postdoctoral Associate at the Yale Cancer Center. Her research focuses on developing and evaluating combination therapies with immune checkpoint inhibitors for melanoma and renal cell carcinoma (RCC), with the goal of improving cancer immunotherapy outcomes.

Dr. Derdikman Ofir earned both her MD and PhD in cancer immunology, where her doctoral research examined the regulation of CXCR1/2 receptor signaling in tumor-infiltrating T cells by the Lnk adaptor protein. Her work has contributed to a deeper understanding of immune signaling pathways and tumor-immune interactions in cancer biology.

In addition to her academic and translational research experience, Dr. Derdikman Ofir has been actively involved in medical innovation and entrepreneurship. She completed the BIODESIGN-Stanford program at Rambam Health Care Campus and co-founded PrediMed, an AI-driven healthcare venture focused on reducing the need for anesthesia and sedation during pediatric MRI procedures. She has also served as director of an anatomy dissection laboratory for international medical students, combining medical education with research leadership.