Paul Matthews

Paul Matthews is the Edmond and Lily Safra Professor of Translational Neuroscience and Therapeutics at Imperial College London's Department of Brain Sciences within the Faculty of Medicine. He serves as Director of the Rosalind Franklin Institute since April 2024, following roles as Head of the Department of Brain Sciences (2019–2024) and leadership of the UK Dementia Research Institute at Imperial since 2017. His affiliations span translational neuroscience, neurotechnology, and precision healthcare across institutions including Nanyang Technological University, University of Edinburgh, and Maastricht University.

• Edmond and Lily Safra Chair (2014–present)
• Director, Rosalind Franklin Institute (2024–present)
• Group Leader, UK Dementia Research Institute (2024–present)

His academic journey began with undergraduate training in chemistry at Oxford, followed by a DPhil in biochemistry under Prof. Sir George Radda, an MD at Stanford, and clinical neurology residency at the Montreal Neurological Institute. He later held post-doctoral positions in Oxford's Genetics Laboratory and transitioned to faculty roles at McGill University and Imperial College London.

His research focuses on neuroinflammatory mechanisms in neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and multiple sclerosis (MS). Leveraging multidisciplinary approaches—including MRI/PET imaging, molecular 'omics tools, and epidemiological datasets—he investigates mitochondrial and vascular dysfunction in AD progression and novel brain immunomodulatory targets. His work has contributed to the UK Biobank's imaging epidemiological dataset and Dementia Working Group.

Scientific awards include:

• Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE, 2008)
• Election to the Academy of Medical Sciences
• Fellowship in the Academia Europaea

He has held non-academic clinical consulting roles in neurology at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust (2006–present), Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust (1996–present), and affiliated hospitals. He has served on numerous scientific advisory panels, including the UKRI MRC Neuroscience and Mental Health Board (2020–24).