Dr. Murthy Chavali brings over 20 years of experience in the biotechnology sector and academia, with a focus on innovation, discovery, drug development, and clinical research. Currently, he oversees the clinical development of various ophthalmological therapies at Ocugen, concentrating on conditions such as inherited retinal disorders, diabetic macular edema, and age-related macular degeneration. He has extensive experience in drug development, including expertise across a range of therapeutic modalities such as cell and gene therapies, small molecules, biologics, and stem cell therapies. His clinical development skills include creating Phase I-III clinical protocols, executing clinical trial studies, regulatory interactions and managing medical affairs teams.

Before joining Ocugen, Dr. Chavali was an Associate Director at Biogen in Massachusetts, where he led preclinical research and drug development for programs focused on inherited retinal degeneration and age-related macular degeneration within the Ophthalmology Research Unit. He also spent over eight years as an Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Pennsylvania's Scheie Eye Center, where he established a functional genomics lab dedicated to molecular genetics and functional genomics. His research involved developing preclinical in vitro and in vivo models, along with "disease in a dish" models to explore the pathobiology of ophthalmic disorders. Dr. Chavali has authored over 50 peer-reviewed publications, significantly contributing to advancements in his field.