Dr. Houman David Hemmati is a knowledgeable ophthalmology expert, bringing many years of ophthalmology development experience to Novateur’s clients. Until recently, he was the Vice President of Medical and Clinical Development for New Therapies at the clinical-stage biotechnology company, Capricor Therapeutics, developing their Exosome program. Prior to Capricor, he served as Director, Clinical Development at Allergan, and as Clinical Scientist in the Ophthalmology Therapeutic Area on several Phase I, II, and III studies related to anterior segment indications, including overseeing the Restatis-X® global program.
Dr. Hemmati is a Board-Certified ophthalmologist, and is also Adjunct Assistant Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at USC Keck School of Medicine, where he serves as Attending Physician at LA County USC Medical Center. Previously, Dr. Hemmati served as Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Vermont School of Medicine, and was a clinical/scientific consultant to Stemnion, Access BridgeGap Ventures, Boston Consulting Group, Griffen Rose, and DJF ePlanet Ventures. Dr. Hemmati also co-founded Avicenna Pharmaceuticals, which is focused on cancer stem cell-targeted therapeutics.
In his scientific career, Dr. Hemmati has co-discovered fetal blood-forming stem cells with Dr. Irv Weissman at Stanford, discovered cancer stem cells in the brain at Caltech, and invented a hydrogel for sustained-release topical drug delivery to the eye with Dr. Robert Langer at MIT.
Dr. Hemmati earned a BSc in Biological Sciences at Stanford, an MD from UCLA, a PhD in Biology from Caltech, and completed an Internal Medicine internship at Stanford Hospital, an ophthalmology residency at the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins Hospital, a postdoctoral fellowship in Chemical Engineering and Drug Delivery at MIT, and a clinical fellowship in Cornea and Refractive Surgery at the Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School. Dr. Hemmati has received numerous awards and honors, including The Alcon Research Scholar Award and the Everhart Presidential Distinguished Lectureship from Caltech.
