Hela Bio is grounded in computational biology, computational physics, and cognitive computing with cohorts guided by senior researchers working at the intersection of academia and industry.
Our processes promote academic–industry linkages for our cohorts; supporting early-stage career scientists in basic research, translational research, implementation science, and technology transfer.
Modeling biological systems at molecular scale — from protein folding to gene circuit design. The quantitative backbone of our research programs.
Quantum simulation, molecular dynamics, and mathematical modeling. The tools that let us predict before we build.
AI/ML architectures applied to biological data — pattern recognition in genomics, neural signal processing, and drug discovery pipelines.
The non-negotiable commitments that shape how we build, who we hire, and what we protect.
Every cohort is paired with PhD supervisors and industry fellows who carry the work forward alongside them. Research without mentorship is just isolated effort; we do the harder thing.
We commit to open-source intellectual property frameworks (OpenMTA, BioBricks, copyleft licensing) wherever possible — because biotech progress accelerates when the foundations are shared.
Cohorts are based in Zambia, South Sudan, Kenya, and Zimbabwe, with senior fellows in Kenya, North Carolina, Munich, and Dubai. We build the bridge in both directions.
Undergraduates, Masters graduates, and over-graduates each need different things from a research program. We design the experience for where you actually are.
PhD supervisors, industry fellows, and research associates from across academia and industry, working together to mentor the next generation of African scientists.
