Ilana Glazer’s husband is David Rooklin, a scientist and biotechnology entrepreneur who co-founded Redesign Science, a company working in computational drug discovery. Glazer and Rooklin married in February 2017 after meeting in New York, and they welcomed their first child, a daughter, in 2021. The couple has kept most details about their marriage and daughter private while continuing their respective careers.
Introduction
Ilana Glazer’s husband, David Rooklin, has a professional background that is very different from the entertainment career of the Broad City co-creator and star.
While Glazer is known for comedy, television, film and stand-up, Rooklin is a scientist and biotechnology entrepreneur whose work centers on computational biology, molecular simulation and drug discovery. He is a co-founder of Redesign Science, a New York-based biotech company that uses computational approaches and artificial intelligence to investigate potential new medicines.
The couple married in February 2017 after meeting several years earlier in New York City. They later became parents to a daughter, who was born in 2021. Unlike many celebrity families, Glazer and Rooklin have deliberately kept much of their family life away from the public spotlight.
Their story is therefore less about a Hollywood power couple constantly appearing together and more about two people with very different professional worlds who have built a relatively private family life.
What Happened? Ilana Glazer and David Rooklin’s Relationship
Ilana Glazer and David Rooklin have been married since February 2017.
The relationship began several years before their wedding. In a 2017 interview with Kelly Ripa, Glazer said she met Rooklin in Washington Square Park in New York City. She described an immediate connection, saying they “made eyes” at each other. Later reporting has consistently identified Washington Square Park as the place where they first met.
At the time, Glazer was building the career that would eventually make her internationally known. She and Abbi Jacobson had developed Broad City from a web series into the Comedy Central television series that became a defining part of Glazer’s career.
Rooklin, meanwhile, was pursuing a scientific career. His academic background was in biochemistry and computational biology, eventually leading to the creation of Redesign Science.
The couple married privately in February 2017. The exact wedding details have not been extensively publicized, which fits their broader approach to their relationship.
Key Details About Ilana Glazer’s Husband
Here are the main verified facts about David Rooklin:
- Name: David Rooklin
- Profession: Scientist and biotechnology entrepreneur
- Field: Computational biology, computational chemistry and drug discovery
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from Oberlin College and Ph.D. in computational biology from New York University
- Company: Redesign Science
- Role: Co-founder and senior executive; company and professional sources have identified him as CEO and later president
- Wife: Ilana Glazer
- Marriage: February 2017
- Child: One daughter, born in 2021
- Relationship began: The couple met in New York City around 2012, according to published profiles
- Public profile: Rooklin generally maintains a much lower entertainment profile than his wife.
One important point is that Rooklin is not simply known because he married a celebrity. His scientific career predates and exists independently of his relationship with Glazer.
Who Is David Rooklin?
David Rooklin is a computational biologist and biotechnology entrepreneur.
His education and professional work have focused on using computational methods to understand biological systems and identify potential drug targets. NYU sources identify him as a researcher who completed his Ph.D. in computational biology and later became involved in Redesign Science.
His work sits at the intersection of several scientific disciplines, including biology, chemistry, physics and computer science.
That combination is particularly important in modern drug discovery because scientists can use computational models to examine molecular behavior before potential compounds move into laboratory testing.
Rooklin’s career therefore occupies a very different world from the entertainment industry. While his wife works in film, television and comedy, his professional work is focused on biotechnology and scientific research.
David Rooklin’s Career at Redesign Science
One of the most significant parts of Rooklin’s professional life is Redesign Science.
NYU’s Technology Opportunities & Ventures describes Redesign Science as a platform biotechnology company operating at the intersection of physics-based molecular simulation and deep learning. Its technology is designed to support drug discovery, including research into protein interaction modulators.
The company was founded in 2017. NYU’s entrepreneurship coverage identified Rooklin, then a postdoctoral researcher, as one of the people who founded the company.
Rooklin has held senior leadership positions at the company. An NYU research-group alumni page identifies him as CEO of Redesign Science, while his current LinkedIn profile describes him as a co-founder and president.
That distinction is worth noting because older articles often describe him simply as the company’s CEO. More recent professional information identifies him as president, suggesting his responsibilities or title have evolved as the company has developed.
What does Redesign Science do?
Redesign Science focuses on computational methods for early-stage drug discovery.
Its technology combines molecular simulation with machine learning and artificial intelligence to investigate how proteins behave and how potential drug compounds might interact with them. NYU says the company’s platform is intended to help identify novel compounds and accelerate aspects of drug discovery.
In 2021, Redesign Science announced that it had raised $15 million in financing to advance its computational structure-based drug-discovery work. In the announcement, Rooklin was identified as co-founder and CEO and described the company’s approach to analyzing protein systems and potential drug sites.
The company has also participated in scientific research collaborations. The COVID-19 HPC Consortium lists a Redesign Science project involving large-scale molecular-dynamics virtual screening against the SARS-CoV-2 main protease.
These activities illustrate why describing Rooklin simply as “Ilana Glazer’s husband” leaves out a substantial part of his professional identity.
How Did Ilana Glazer and David Rooklin Meet?
Glazer and Rooklin reportedly met in Washington Square Park in New York City.
Glazer discussed their first meeting during a 2017 appearance with Kelly Ripa. According to later profiles, their relationship began around 2012, during the period when Glazer and Abbi Jacobson were transitioning Broad City from its earlier web-series origins toward television.
The timing is significant because Glazer was still developing her career when she met Rooklin. Her relationship with Rooklin therefore predates the later stages of her fame from films, stand-up specials and other major projects.
Their professional lives also took very different directions. Glazer continued to work in comedy and entertainment, while Rooklin concentrated on scientific research and biotechnology.
That difference has occasionally become part of Glazer’s public comments about their relationship.
When Did Ilana Glazer Get Married?
Ilana Glazer married David Rooklin in February 2017.
The couple kept the wedding relatively private. People reported that they had been married since February 2017 and described the relationship as one the pair has largely kept away from the public eye.
Some databases list February 25, 2017, as the specific date, but major contemporary coverage generally identifies the wedding simply as taking place in February 2017. For that reason, February 2017 is the safer date to use when discussing the marriage without overstating a detail that is less consistently documented.
Their privacy has continued after the wedding. Although Rooklin has appeared with Glazer publicly, the couple does not regularly provide detailed updates about their relationship.
Ilana Glazer and David Rooklin Became Parents in 2021
The couple welcomed their first child in 2021.
Glazer announced her pregnancy in March 2021 while promoting False Positive, a thriller in which she played a woman undergoing fertility treatment. At the time, she discussed wanting a healthy and welcoming experience with pregnancy and parenthood.
In July 2021, Glazer announced that she had given birth to the couple’s first child. ABC News reported that the newborn was a daughter and that Glazer shared the news through Instagram.
The couple has chosen not to make their daughter’s name and personal life a major part of their public presence. People has likewise reported that they have not publicly shared her name or regularly exposed her to the public spotlight.
That privacy remains important when discussing the family’s current situation. Readers may find different claims online, but information that the family has not publicly confirmed should not be treated as established fact.
Ilana Glazer’s Experience With Motherhood
Motherhood has become an important part of Glazer’s personal and creative life.
In 2024, while discussing her film Babes, Glazer spoke openly about the realities of pregnancy, motherhood and balancing work with parenting. Babes centers on friendship and the changes that come with becoming a parent, giving Glazer an opportunity to explore subjects that had become personally relevant to her.
In a Harper’s Bazaar interview, Glazer discussed the challenge of being a working parent and explained that touring had affected her daughter. She also said she worked to make her schedule sustainable for her family.
That theme also appeared in coverage of her Human Magic comedy tour. People reported that Glazer credited Rooklin with helping structure the tour around family considerations, allowing her to complete dozens of shows while making family time a priority.
These comments provide one of the clearest public indications of how the couple manages their different professional responsibilities.
What Has David Rooklin Said About Ilana Glazer?
Rooklin has occasionally spoken publicly about Glazer and her work, although he generally maintains a much lower profile than his wife.
In a 2014 New Yorker account about Glazer and Abbi Jacobson, Rooklin discussed the experience of watching their live performances and described the relationship between performer and audience in collaborative terms. His comments showed that he was familiar with Glazer’s creative work long before the couple became widely known as a celebrity family.
His support has also appeared indirectly in Glazer’s interviews.
During her 2024 comedy-tour period, Glazer discussed receiving encouragement from her husband before leaving for performances. The Washington Post described one such moment while profiling the comedian’s changing approach to work and private life.
The available record therefore suggests a relationship in which both partners have demanding careers, but there is not enough public information to describe every aspect of their marriage.
What Officials and Organizations Say About David Rooklin’s Career
There is no official announcement concerning the couple’s marriage that represents a current breaking-news development.
For Rooklin’s professional career, however, institutional sources provide substantial documentation.
NYU identifies David Rooklin, Ph.D. as a principal investigator associated with Redesign Science and describes the company’s work in computational drug discovery.
NYU Stern also documented Redesign Science’s success in its 2015–2016 Entrepreneurs Challenge, where the company won a technology venture prize. The university described Rooklin and other researchers as founders working on virtual molecular design for drug discovery.
A Redesign Science financing announcement from 2021 also identified Rooklin as co-founder and CEO and described the company’s efforts to improve computational drug discovery.
Together, these sources establish that his career is based on scientific research and biotechnology entrepreneurship rather than simply being a byproduct of his marriage to Glazer.
Why This Marriage Continues to Interest Fans
The interest in Ilana Glazer’s husband largely comes from the contrast between the couple’s professional lives.
Glazer built a public identity through comedy, acting, writing and producing. Her work on Broad City made her widely recognizable, while later projects such as False Positive, Babes and her comedy work expanded her career. More recently, she has continued developing projects including her It’s Open podcast.
Rooklin’s career is almost entirely outside entertainment. His work involves scientific research, computational biology and biotechnology.
That difference makes the couple unusual among celebrity relationships. Rooklin does not appear to have attempted to become a public entertainment figure simply because of his wife’s fame. Instead, he has continued working in his own professional field.
Their family life has followed a similar pattern: Glazer discusses motherhood and occasionally mentions her husband, but the family does not regularly share intimate details online.
What Happens Next?
As of October 9, 2026, there is no verified public announcement indicating a major change in Glazer and Rooklin’s marriage.
The couple remains publicly associated with their respective careers, while their daughter continues to be kept largely out of the public eye.
Glazer’s career remains active across comedy, acting, producing and podcasting. In 2025, she made her Broadway debut in Good Night, and Good Luck., and recent coverage shows her continuing to perform stand-up.
Rooklin, meanwhile, continues to be associated professionally with Redesign Science. His company’s work remains focused on computational approaches to drug discovery, an area that combines molecular simulation, machine learning and biotechnology.
Any future developments involving their family will ultimately depend on what the couple chooses to make public.
Conclusion
Ilana Glazer’s husband, David Rooklin, has built a career far removed from Hollywood. He is a scientist and biotechnology entrepreneur with a Ph.D. in computational biology from New York University and is a co-founder of Redesign Science, a company working on computational approaches to drug discovery.
Glazer and Rooklin met in New York, married in February 2017 and welcomed their first child, a daughter, in 2021. While Glazer has spoken about motherhood, balancing work and family, and the support she receives from her husband, the couple has maintained strong boundaries around their private life.
The most important point for readers is that David Rooklin has a substantial professional identity of his own. His connection to Glazer explains public interest in him, but his scientific training, research and biotechnology work are the foundation of his career.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Who is Ilana Glazer’s husband?
Ilana Glazer’s husband is David Rooklin, a scientist and biotechnology entrepreneur. He is a co-founder of Redesign Science, a company involved in computational drug discovery.
2. When did Ilana Glazer and David Rooklin get married?
Ilana Glazer and David Rooklin married in February 2017 in a private ceremony.
3. How did Ilana Glazer meet David Rooklin?
Glazer has said that she met Rooklin in Washington Square Park in New York City. Reports place the beginning of their relationship around 2012.
4. What does David Rooklin do for a living?
Rooklin is a scientist and biotechnology entrepreneur specializing in computational biology and drug discovery. He co-founded Redesign Science, which develops computational technologies for early-stage drug discovery.
5. What is David Rooklin’s educational background?
He earned a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from Oberlin College and a Ph.D. in computational biology from New York University.
6. Does Ilana Glazer have children?
Yes. Glazer and Rooklin have one daughter, born in 2021. The couple has chosen to keep much of their daughter’s personal information private.
7. What is the name of Ilana Glazer’s daughter?
Glazer and Rooklin have not publicly established their daughter’s name as part of their public profile. Reliable coverage has therefore generally referred to her simply as their daughter rather than publishing an unverified name.
8. Are Ilana Glazer and David Rooklin still married?
There is no verified public report of a separation or divorce. As of October 2026, available reliable sources continue to identify Rooklin as Glazer’s husband. Recent coverage also describes him as part of her family and professional support system.