David Altshuler

Executive Vice President at Vertex Pharmaceuticals

David Altshuler is a prominent clinical endocrinologist and human geneticist, currently serving as a Senior Lecturer in Genetics and Medicine at Harvard Medical School. He is also the Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer at Vertex Pharmaceuticals, a role he has held since 2015.1 4 5

Education and Early Career

Altshuler completed his Bachelor of Science degree at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1986, followed by a Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1993 and an M.D. from Harvard Medical School in 1994. He underwent clinical training in internal medicine and endocrinology at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) .2 3 4

Research Contributions

Altshuler is recognized for his significant contributions to the field of human genetics, particularly in understanding genetic variations related to diseases. He was a founding member of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, where he served as Deputy Director and Chief Academic Officer. His research has focused on major projects such as the SNP Consortium, the International HapMap Project, and the 1,000 Genomes Project, which aimed to map human genome sequence variations .1 3 4 His laboratory has identified numerous gene variants linked to conditions like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and autoimmune disorders .2 3

Awards and Honors

Throughout his career, Altshuler has received multiple accolades, including election to the National Academy of Medicine and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He has also been honored with the Curt Stern Award from the American Society of Human Genetics and the Outstanding Scientific Achievement Award from the American Diabetes Association .1 3 4

Current Roles

In addition to his position at Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Altshuler continues to teach at Harvard Medical School and is involved with various scientific advisory boards, including those for the Wellcome Sanger Institute and MGH Research Institute .4 6 His work not only advances genetic research but also aims to translate findings into therapeutic strategies for complex diseases.

Experience

Executive Vice President, Global Research and Chief Scientific Officer at Vertex Pharmaceuticals

Member Board Of Directors at Vertex Pharmaceuticals (2 years 7 months), Deputy Director and Chief Academic Officer at Broad Institute (6 years)

Education

PhD in Genetics from Harvard University (1988 - 1994), MD from Harvard Medical School (1986 - 1994), BS in Life Science from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1982 - 1986), Senior Lecturer and Professor of Genetics and Medicine at Harvard Medical School (Jan 2017 - Present, Oct 2000 - Jan 2017), Professor of Biology (Adjunct) at MIT (2012-2015)