David Altshuler

David Matthew Altshuler (born August 27, 1964) is an American clinical endocrinologist and human geneticist. Altshuler is a pioneer in the field of genetics as it relates to human disease.

Career Altshuler joined Vertex in 2015 as Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer, and retired in 2026. and served as the Institute's Deputy Director and Chief Academic Officer. At the Broad he was Director of the Program in Medical and Population Genetics, He was a Professor of Genetics and Medicine at Harvard Medical School, and is currently a senior lecturer at Harvard and Massachusetts General Hospital. From 2012 to 2014 he was also an adjunct professor of Biology at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, He was also a faculty member in the Department of Molecular Biology, Center for Human Genetic Research, and the Diabetes Unit, all at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Education Altshuler attended Commonwealth School in Boston, received his Bachelor of Science from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, his Ph.D. from Harvard University, and his M.D. from Harvard Medical School. He completed his internship, residency, and clinical fellowship training at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Research Altshuler's academic research focused on human genetic variation and its application to disease, using information from the Human Genome Project. He has co-led the SNP Consortium, International HapMap Project, and 1000 Genomes Project His research focused on the genetic basis of Type 2 Diabetes, and his laboratory contributed to mapping dozens of gene variants that are associated with risk of Type 2 Diabetes, lipid levels, myocardial infarction, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, prostate cancer, and other disorders.

Awards and honors Among his awards is election to the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Medicine, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Personal life Altshuler grew up in Boston. His father, Alan Altshuler, taught urban planning and political science at MIT from 1966 to 1983.