Eitan Akirav, Ph.D.

Eitan Akirav, Ph.D., is a prominent figure in the fields of immunology and diabetes research. He currently serves as a Scientific Advisory Board Member at Kihealth, a position he has held since May 2023. Kihealth focuses on advancing a holistic approach to metabolic disease through innovative diagnostics and products.1

Education and Academic Background

Dr. Akirav earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Tel Aviv University, graduating summa cum laude. He then completed a Master of Science in Physiology and Endocrinology at the University of Toronto. Following this, he pursued advanced studies at the Yale University School of Medicine, where he obtained both an M.Sc./M.Phil and a Ph.D. in Immunology, with his doctoral thesis focusing on self-antigen expression in the thymus and its implications for autoimmunity. He also completed postdoctoral training at Yale, specializing in autoimmunity and diabetes.12

Professional Experience

In addition to his role at Kihealth, Dr. Akirav is the Director of Business Development at Harvard University and has previously held significant positions such as Vice President Global Lead for Biomarkers at Cerba Research and Assistant Professor of Research at Stony Brook University. His work has primarily revolved around diabetes research, including the development of diagnostic assays for detecting β cell loss in diabetes, which is crucial for understanding and treating the disease.12

Dr. Akirav's expertise and contributions to the field have been recognized through various roles on scientific advisory boards, including a notable appointment to the Scientific Advisory Board of Islet Sciences, where he focused on therapies for Type 1 diabetes.23 His collaborative research efforts have established him as a key figure in advancing diabetes treatment and understanding autoimmune diseases.12