Samir Patel, M.D. is the Co-Founder and President of Ophthotech Corporation. He also serves as Vice Chairman of its Board of Directors. Previously, Dr. Patel was the co-founder of Eyetech Pharmaceuticals, Inc., where he was the Chief Medical Officer and served on its Board of Directors.

Prior to joining Ophthotech, Dr. Patel spent over a decade in academic medicine, serving as the Director of the Retina Service and the residency program as well as an Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Chicago, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science. His area of academic interest focused on cell-based therapies for age-related macular degeneration. While at the University of Chicago, he was among the first in the world to perform a human retinal transplant.

Dr. Patel has been a consultant to a number of ophthalmic biotechnology companies and healthcare venture firms. He currently serves on the board of directors of AFER-ARVO. Dr. Patel has also served as a director of Eyetech, EyeGate Pharma and Mimetogen and on the scientific advisory board of Aerie Pharmaceuticals.

Dr. Patel received his medical degree (M.D.) from the University of Massachusetts Medical School and ophthalmology training from the University of Chicago. He received his training in retinal surgery from the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary at Harvard Medical School.