Yajaira Suarez

Dr. Yajaira Suarez is the Anthony N. Brady Professor of Comparative Medicine and Deputy Chair of the Department of Comparative Medicine at Yale School of Medicine. She also holds a secondary appointment as Professor of Pathology and is an active member of the Yale Cancer Center, Vascular Biology and Therapeutics Program, and Yale Center for Molecular and Systems Metabolism.

Dr. Suarez earned her BS and PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Universidad Autonoma de Madrid (1995, 2001), followed by postdoctoral training at Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (2002-2005) and Yale University School of Medicine (2005-2009). She began her independent research career at New York University School of Medicine in 2009 before joining Yale in 2013.

Her research program focuses on understanding novel regulatory mechanisms in endothelial cell and macrophage functions, particularly examining non-coding RNAs, metabolic rewiring, immunometabolism, and cholesterol regulation. This work has significant implications for atherosclerosis, cancer, and metabolic diseases. Her publication record demonstrates consistent high-impact research in top-tier journals including Nature Communications, Journal of Clinical Investigation, and PNAS.

Dr. Suarez's research output shows a clear focus on the intersection of vascular biology and metabolism, with recent publications (2021-2025) emphasizing endothelial cell metabolism, macrophage immunometabolism, and non-coding RNA regulation in cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Her work has established her as a leader in understanding how metabolic pathways regulate vascular function and inflammation.

• Recipient of the 2025 Judah Folkman Award in Vascular Biology
• Elected member of Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering (2022)
• Werner Risau New Investigator Award in Vascular Biology
• Kingsley Award in Medical Research from Yale School of Medicine
• Fellowship-Grant Award from CNIC P3+3 programme for Post-doctoral Careers in Biomedicine

Dr. Suarez maintains active collaborations with numerous researchers at Yale and internationally. Her lab employs a multidisciplinary approach combining molecular and cellular biology, biochemistry, and genetically modified mouse models. Her recent work has significant translational potential for developing novel therapies for cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and metabolic disorders.