Dr K. G. Murugavel has a background in the field of Serology, Molecular Biology and Immunology of infectious diseases in the area of HIV and Hepatitis Viruses. As a Senior Research Fellow at PGIBMS, University of Madras, Chennai, India, his Ph.D. thesis, “Virological, Serological, Immunological and Molecular Characterisation of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cases from Southern India”; helped establish the role of HBV, HCV and the co-carcinogen aflatoxin in these hepatocellular carcinoma cases collected from the CLD cases of various gastroenterology departments. At CBER, FDA, National Institutes of Health, Maryland, USA, Dr Murugavel worked on the flu virus after which, during the outbreak of SARS, he worked on the cloning of different regions of SARS virus.

Dr Murugavel was working as an Associate Professor/Lab Manager at YRG CARE in Chennai before his PDF, and is now continuing in the role after his PDF too. At YRG CARE, Dr Murugavel is involved with the immunological projects aimed at studying the various immunological factors that are responsible for the HIV preventive/resistance mechanism seen in the HIV-1 exposed seronegative partners as well as with the immunological factors that are responsible for the lack of disease progression seen in the HIV-1 LTNP (Long-Term Non-Progressors) and Elite Controllers (EC). In addition, Dr Murugavel is associated with all the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) vaccine development projects carried out at YRG CARE. He is also involved in identifying novel bNABs, studying immunological characteristics of early HIV infected populations.