Lee Rubin appointed faculty co-director of Harvard Stem Cell Institute

Lee Rubin, professor of stem cell and regenerative biology and leading scholar of neurodegenerative disease, has been named the next faculty co-director of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI). Effective this spring, he joins current co-director David Scadden, Gerald and Darlene Jordan Professor of Medicine and professor of stem cell and regenerative biology, in leadership of the initiative.

“I am delighted that Lee has agreed to serve alongside David as co-director of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute,” said Senior Vice Provost for Research John H. Shaw. “His leading scholarship on neurodegenerative and neuromuscular disease, and his work to translate it into novel disease therapies, exemplifies HSCI’s commitment to bridging the gap between academic research and real-world cures.”

“Lee is joining at a particularly important time for the HSCI as we continue to move toward clinical application of discoveries by our faculty and increase emphasis on aging related conditions,” said HSCI co-director David Scadden. “He brings experience in both industry and academia along with an outstanding discovery program on the aging brain.”

Rubin succeeds Doug Melton, who co-founded HSCI alongside Scadden in 2005 and has served as co-director since. Their leadership has brought together scientists on the forefront of stem cell research and biotech industry partners to help translate that research into cures. Melton will continue in his role as a Catalyst Professor, continuing his teaching and research at Harvard while working toward a cure for Type 1 diabetes at Vertex.

Rubin’s research explores how the nervous system can change due to aging or disease, as well as how it interacts with the rest of the body. Specifically, his lab investigates the mechanisms driving neurodegenerative and neuromuscular disease, using stem cells to model the onset and development of illness and identify novel therapeutic approaches. Current research efforts focus on using stem cells to produce patient-specific neurons to model diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, ALS, and Spinal Muscular Atrophy and reveal pathways to therapy, as well as on better understanding the aging brain to stimulate functional improvement in patients.

“I have been involved with HSCI from the moment it started and am excited about the opportunity to help David continue to drive the exciting work carried out by the many HSCI investigators who combine their strong interest in research with an equally strong desire to contribute to the development of new therapeutics,” said Rubin.

In addition to his role as a professor and researcher, Rubin is faculty co-chair for the M.S./M.B.A. Biotechnology: Life Sciences dual master’s degree program with the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and Harvard Business School.

Prior to joining Harvard’s faculty in 2006, he worked as a senior scientist at Athena Neurosciences, where his work on the cell biology of the blood-brain barrier led to the development of multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri. He served as a professor of anatomy and developmental biology at University College London, as well as director of the Eisai London Laboratories. Later, as Chief Scientific Officer of Cambridge-based biotechnology firm Curis, Inc., his group identified the first small molecule regulators of the hedgehog signaling pathway, essential in the development of many types of tissue, research that ultimately evolved into the first oral treatment for metastatic basal cell carcinoma. In the course of this research, Rubin and his team would also develop agonists, or agents for stem cell change and repair, that are now widely used by stem cell investigators in laboratories worldwide.

Rubin holds an A.B. in chemistry and psychology from Cornell University and a Ph.D. in neuroscience from Rockefeller University. He completed his postdoctoral training in neuroscience at Harvard Medical School and Stanford University School of Medicine.

Since its founding in 2005, the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, a University-wide interfaculty initiative, has drawn scientists from across Harvard’s Schools, research centers, and teaching hospitals to study the power of stem cells to change medicine for the better. HSCI’s network of more than 325 faculty explore approaches to stimulate patient healing, create targeted treatments for disease, and transform the field of biotechnology using stem-cell based tools. For more information on their work, see the Harvard Stem Cell Institute website.