Associate Professor Justin Rubio
PhD
Group Head
Location
Parkville Campus
30 Royal Parade
Parkville Victoria 3052
Research group
Neurogenetics Group
Biography
Associate Professor Justin Rubio is Head of the Neurogenetics Group at the Florey. His major research focus is on multiple sclerosis (MS), which he studies using genetic techniques to increase knowledge of mechanisms and genes underlying MS risk and progression.
Justin also has a strong interest in using genetics to understand other neurological diseases including motor neuron disease (MND) and Parkinson’s disease.
Associate Professor Rubio has worked in industry, leading pharmacogenomic (PGx) studies to explain drug response in clinical trial participants and contributing to the approval of two medicines for treating HIV and malaria, respectively. He is continuing his passion for PGx in collaboration with other Australian researchers, to determine whether genomic information can be used to guide opioid prescribing in the clinic.
Career highlights
Current roles
Head of Neurogenetics Group
Other highlights
Founding member and Chair of the Australia and New Zealand MS Genetics Consortium from 2016–2023
Research projects
Determining the contribution of rare genetic variation to MS risk, progression and phenocopy using exome sequencing
Investigating the role of somatic mutation in MS progression and MND
Fellowships
- MS Australia Senior Research Fellowship (2024–2028)
- Australian Research Council Future Fellowship (2009–2012)
- Biomedical NHMRC Career Development Award (2005–2009)
- Howard Florey Post-Doctoral Fellowship, Royal Society of London, UK (1997–1999)
Project funding
- $2.891M (2015–24) and $2.359M over the last 5 years as principal investigator
- Internal (University of Melbourne) – 2 grants awarded = $60K
- Charitable or philanthropic – 10 grants awarded = $1.817M
