Thomas Ciulla, M.D., M.B.A.

Dr. Ciulla previously served as Chief Medical Officer and Chief Development Officer at Clearside Bio, where he guided preclinical and clinical development, supported an NDA to first FDA approval of a suprachoroidal therapy, led an IND submission with development of a new clinical program and successful Phase 1/2 trial, and oversaw medical and professional affairs. Prior to Clearside, Dr. Ciulla served in a VP role as Medical Strategy Lead-Ophthalmology at Spark Therapeutics, where he defined and led medical strategy to support development and commercialization of the first FDA-approved gene therapy for a genetic disease. He previously served as VP, Clinical Strategy at Ophthotech Corporation.

Before launching his executive management career, Dr. Ciulla co-directed the retina service and ocular angiogenesis research lab at Indiana University School of Medicine, the largest U.S. medical school. He remains a volunteer Clinical Professor at the university and is a Fellow of the American Society of Retina Specialists, member of the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy, Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Macula Society, Retina Society, and the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Dr. Ciulla has held numerous leadership roles in clinical research, including principal investigator, medical monitor, and member of scientific advisory, data safety monitoring or writing committees in more than 100 national clinical trials. He has served on journal editorial boards, edited several textbooks, presented at more than 200 conferences, and co-authored more than 300 publications. Dr. Ciulla graduated from Harvard College and UCSF School of Medicine, followed by an internship and residency at Harvard Medical School and a fellowship at Tufts Medical School. He also earned an M.B.A. from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business, specializing in the business of medicine.