Dr. Rohan De Silva

Biography

Rohan de Silva is a Professor of Molecular Neuroscience at University College London, with a research background in clinical movement neurosciences. He was born and raised in Sri Lanka and studied biochemistry at University of Bern in Switzerland, where he completed his Licentiate in 1987. He later achieved his Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) at Lincoln College, University of Oxford, in 1991. His doctoral research project focused on the structure-function relationships of plant-based protease inhibitors, particularly in the context of the human blood coagulation cascade. After completing his DPhil, he conducted postdoctoral research at Duke University Medical Center under the supervision of Professor Allen Roses, where he contributed to identifying presenilin 1 mutations linked to early-onset familial Alzheimer’s disease. Throughout his career, he made significant contributions to understanding alpha-synuclein, a central player in Parkinson’s disease, through collaborations with renowned experts. He held various academic positions, including Reader in Neuroscience and Honorary Lecturer at UCL's Institute of Neurology, before becoming a Professor in 2019. His research interests include neurodegenerative disorders, Alzheimer’s disease, and the functional genetics of tau proteins.

Research Interests

Experience