News & Press

Monday, February 24, 2025

The experience Si PHI (Simulated Psychedelic Immersive Experiences: Healthcare Intervention for Depression) led by Mohini Ranganathan, MBBS with team members Kimberly Hieftje, PhD; Asher Marks, MD; and Jose Cortes-Briones, PhD, is selected as a 2025 Blavatnik Award Winner. Since 2017, Yale and the Blavatnik Family Foundation have partnered to propel promising research beyond the university walls, bridging the gap between discovery and real-world application. Through the Blavatnik Fund for Innovation at Yale, a $65 million accelerator fund managed by Yale Ventures, 90 unique projects have led to 23 startups, 4 acquisitions, nine investigational new drug (IND) clearances, and work across diverse therapeutic modalities—including small and large molecules, nucleic acids, PNAs, ADCs, phage therapy, nanoparticles, exosomes, medical devices, digital health, and platform technologies.

Friday, December 20, 2024

We recently set out to explore how virtual reality (VR) is being used in Connecticut public high schools. We surveyed 181 schools and heard back from 60% of them (not bad!). To dig deeper, we also interviewed 19 school administrators to better understand their experiences and perspectives. Funded by the Connecticut State Department of Education, this study highlights the opportunities and challenges of bringing VR into classrooms. Learn more about how this innovative technology could shape the future of education in Connecticut!

Friday, December 6, 2024

The experience Si PHI (Simulated Psychedelic Immersive Experiences: Healthcare Intervention for Depression) led by Mohini Ranganathan, MBBS with team members Kimberly Hieftje, PhD; Asher Marks, MD; and Jose Cortes-Briones, PhD, wins "Audience Choice" at the 2024 Yale Life Science Pitchfest. The 2024 Yale Life Science PitchFest showcased Yale's most promising life science innovations from 34 Yale faculty-led teams. Eight Blavatnik-funded startup companies were also showcased at the event. The event, held on December 5, 2024 at 101 College Street in New Haven, served as the semifinals for the Blavatnik Fund for Innovation at Yale, Yale’s life science accelerator fund supporting the translation of groundbreaking research into innovative healthcare solutions.

Tuesday, June 11, 2024

Simulated Psychedelic Immersive Experience (SI-PHI): Healthcare Intervention for Depression...Led by Mohini Ranganathan, MBBS with team members Kimberly Hieftje, PhD; Asher Marks, MD; and Jose Cortes-Briones, PhD. SI-PHI is a cutting-edge tool using hi-definition, immersive visuals and audio to create a simulation of the effects of psychedelic medications to treat depression. SI-PHI hopes to provide the benefits of psychedelic medications without the side effects that make them difficult for patients to tolerate. The potential impact of using extended reality interventions is significant given the large patient population who may benefit, while avoiding the high costs and challenges associated with medications. In addition to winning a YNHHS Innovation Award, the team also pitched and won a prestigious Blavatnik Accelerator Award at the Summit receiving an additional $30,000 to further advance their innovation.

Wednesday, April 3, 2024

The XRPeds team traveled to San Francisco at the end of March to attend the 2024 Game Developers Conference, attending talks, meeting with new connections and longtime colleagues, and learning lots - plus a bike ride over the Golden Gate Bridge!

Thursday, February 8, 2024

We had the privilege of hosting Fox61 News at our lab to feature ‘Invite Only VR: A Vaping Prevention Game.’ It is so inspiring to see our project make a difference in addressing the critical issue of teen vaping!

Friday, December 1, 2023

Yale researchers are trying a new way to fight youth marijuana use and vaping addiction: a virtual reality video game.

XRPeds is a Yale research group, founded in 2020, that uses virtual reality, or VR, to address pediatric health challenges. On Nov. 20 the project team announced that it is developing “ReHashed,” a new VR game that teaches students refusal skills, how to help others quit and the health consequences of marijuana vaping. The game will be implemented in three Connecticut schools in 2024.

Monday, October 9, 2023

XR Pediatrics was thrilled to host the Inaugural Virtual Reality and Pediatrics Healthcare Symposium on September 19 and 20 at the Yale West Campus in West Haven, CT, in partnership with the International Virtual Reality and Healthcare Association. This two-day symposium featured talks and demos from more than 30 leaders in care, technology, research, and policy.

Wednesday, May 24, 2023

Abigail Crocker, a master's student at Yale School of Nursing, recently joined XR Peds as a student collaborator. Her previous career in journalism and interest in the intersections between medicine, media, and tech make her an insightful addition to the team.

Saturday, May 20, 2023

XR Peds Co-Director Dr. Asher Marks and Collaborator Amanda Garbatini were recently featured in a new video published by Yale Medicine focusing on their work using VR Support Groups in adolescent cancer populations.