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The MIT-Royalty Pharma Faculty Founder Prize Competition is a collaboration between the University of Oxford and MIT, which aims to bridge the worlds of academia and entrepreneurship. The two-year initiative empowers faculty at both institutions to translate human health technologies – including diagnostics, therapeutics, devices, and AI‑driven digital health, into real-world impact.

The 12 finalists for its third prize competition have now been announced: six each from MIT and the University of Oxford. The initiative, recently renamed in recognition of a gift by Royalty Pharma, runs a two-year programme that supports biotech innovators and faculty entrepreneurs interested in commercialising their solutions.

Over the course of two years, Monika and the other finalists receive wide-ranging support to help advance and grow their biotech solutions into startups and companies ready for commercialization. This includes various workshops, executive education classes, and mentorship from world-leading entrepreneurs and investors. The program culminates in MIT-Royalty Pharma Prize Competition Showcase, scheduled for 2027.

Monika Gullerova is a professor of molecular medicine at the Dunn School. One of her ongoing projects is on RAIDEN, an AI-driven drug discovery project developing small-molecule medicines that target RNA, unlocking entirely new ways to treat diseases long considered “undruggable.” By combining advanced machine learning with molecular biology and chemistry, RAIDEN is redefining how next-generation RNA-targeted therapies are developed.