Basmah Safdar, MD, MSc, is an emergency medicine physician and internationally recognized sex-specific researcher on microvascular health and sepsis. She is the Norma Weinberg Spungen and Joan Lebson Bildner Professor in Women’s Health Research and Director of Women’s Health Research at Yale — an interdisciplinary research center dedicated to improving the lives of women and men through scientific discovery, education, translation, and dissemination. Dr. Safdar established the Women’s Health Research at Yale Collaborative, coalescing more than 200 members across Yale, representing 10 schools and 34 departments, committed to and advancing women’s health research. Since 1998, the center has been an incubator of discovery into health conditions that differently, disproportionately, and distinctly affect women, driving innovation and impact. Investments in Women’s Health Research at Yale’s Pilot Projects have yielded a 20-fold ROI, demonstrating value creation and scalable platforms.
Dr. Safdar applies a systems lens with her clinical, academic, and leadership expertise to inspire innovation and improve outcomes. She is past president of the Academy of Women in Academic Emergency Medicine (AWAEM), a 2024 ELAM Fellow, and recipient of the 2026 Advancement of Women in Academic Emergency Medicine National Award from the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.
Dr. Safdar is a sought-after women’s health expert and has been interviewed by leading publications including The New York Times, NPR, Politico, The Wall Street Journal, WTNH, and beyond and joined national stages to demystify women’s health based on biology. She completed her MD at Aga Khan University (Pakistan), residency and chief residency at Yale, and earned MSc from Harvard.