Ruth Itzhaki is emeritus professorial fellow at the University of Manchester. She was Senior Scientist at the Paterson Laboratories, Christie Hospital from 1966 to 1979. She was then a senior research fellow at the department of virology, South Manchester University Hospital, 1979-83, and senior research fellow and honorary reader/professorial fellow at the department of optometry and neuroscience, UMIST from 1983 to 2004. From to 2004 to 20014 she was professorial fellow in the Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester.
Professor Itzhaki is know for her work on the aetiology of dementia, and the role of viruses in affecting it. She has also carried out leading research on chromatin structure and effects of carcinogens on chromatin.