David Rubinsztein

Professor David Rubinsztein is a leading academic at the University of Cambridge, serving as Deputy Director of the Cambridge Institute for Medical Research (CIMR) and Group Leader at the UK Dementia Research Institute. His research focuses on autophagy and its role in neurodegenerative diseases such as Huntington’s, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s, pioneering strategies to upregulate autophagy as a therapeutic approach.

• University of Cape Town: MB ChB, BSc(Med), PhD

His work explores the regulation of autophagy using cell and animal models, defects in autophagy as disease mechanisms, and drug discovery for neurodegenerative disorders. Key themes include protein folding, membrane trafficking, and lysosomal biology.

Recent publications highlight autophagy’s intersection with ferroptosis, tau toxicity, and AI-driven drug development. He has contributed to guidelines for autophagy assays and studies on microglial signaling in neurodegeneration.

Scientific Awards

• Graham Bull Prize (2007)
• Thudichum Medal (2017)
• Roger de Spoelberch Prize (2017)
• Goudie Medal (2020)
• 2024 Movement Disorders Research Award
• Clarivate Analytics Highly Cited Researcher (2018–2023)

Rubinsztein’s research is supported by grants from the UK Dementia Research Institute, National Institute for Health Research, Parkinson’s UK, and Merck Sharp and Dohme. He leads a multidisciplinary team at CIMR, focusing on autophagy modulation and rare genetic diseases.