Divya Ail

Divya Ail is a researcher in retinal neuroscience and gene therapy whose work focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying retinal function, degeneration and repair. Her research bridges fundamental biology and translational medicine, with the overarching goal of developing innovative therapies to restore vision in patients affected by retinal diseases.

Her background is in Bioengineering with a Bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology from India and a Master’s in Molecular Bioengineering from Germany. She obtained her early research training and PhD from the University of Zurich, Switzerland, where she investigated the role of hypoxia signalling pathways in retinal degeneration and neuroprotection. She subsequently undertook postdoctoral research in France, studying molecular pathways involved in stem cell-based neurogenesis and retinal regeneration at the Paris-Saclay Institute of Neuroscience in France. 

Her research later expanded into translational vision science at the Vision Institute in Paris, where she contributed to the development of preclinical models of retinal degeneration and the evaluation of the safety of emerging gene therapies, specifically focussed on studying immune responses to therapy. Her work has spanned multiple experimental systems, including rodent, amphibian, and non-human primate models, providing unique insights into disease mechanisms and therapeutic development.

Alongside her research activities, she is committed to teaching and mentoring students through lectures, lab courses and supervision of student research projects. She is actively involved in scientific communication and outreach activities aimed at disseminating her own work in vision science to the general public, as well as initiatives that promote diversity and inclusivity in STEM disciplines.  

As a member of the Kapetanovic lab, her current research focuses on developing optogenetic therapies for inherited retinal diseases. Optogenetics offers a mutation-independent approach to vision restoration by introducing light-sensitive proteins into surviving retinal cells, thereby bypassing the need to correct individual disease-causing mutations. This strategy has the potential to benefit patients across a wide range of retinal degenerative disorders, including those with advanced photoreceptor loss. 

Drawing on expertise in retinal neuroscience, molecular biology, immunology, and preclinical therapeutic development, her work aims to improve the efficacy, safety, and translational potential of optogenetic interventions. Ultimately, this research seeks to advance next-generation vision restoration therapies towards clinical application and provide new treatment options for patients with currently incurable forms of blindness.