Dr. David Altshuler

David Altshuler, M.D., Ph.D., is Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer at Vertex Pharmaceuticals where he leads internal research and external innovation, corporate data strategy, technology and data sciences, and oversees Vertex University. Dr. Altshuler joined Vertex as Chief Scientific Officer in 2015. He has since developed and implemented Vertex’s research strategy and pipeline of Sandbox diseases including the first approved triple therapy for cystic fibrosis, the first approved CRISPR medicine for sickle cell disease and TDT, and multiple late stage candidates including the first potential selective NaV1.8 inhibitor for treatment of pain, the first potential stem cell derived fully differentiated islet therapy for type 1 diabetes, and the first potential therapy for APOL1 mediated kidney disease, among others. Prior to Vertex, Dr. Altshuler was a Founding Core Member, Deputy Director and Chief Academic Officer at the Broad Institute of Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He was Professor of Genetics and Medicine at Harvard Medical School, Adjunct Professor of Biology at MIT and a physician at the Massachusetts General Hospital( MGH). He continues to teach students as a senior lecturer in genetics and medicine at MGH and Harvard.