Award-winning AIDS pioneer joins Morsani College of Medicine

The physician who co-discovered HIV-1 as the cause of AIDS has joined the faculty of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, along with four of his researchers, and USF is now the international headquarters of the vast coalition he co-founded, the Global Virus Network.

Dr. Robert Gallo also discovered the first human RNA tumor virus, or retrovirus, and its association with some cancers of the blood and lymphatic system. And he discovered the first cytokine, a protein that plays a crucial role in the body’s virus defense systems.

Gallo co-founded the Global Virus Network in 2011 with Drs. William Hall of Ireland and the late Reinhard Kurth of Germany. What began years earlier as an annual retreat for a handful of collaborators has grown to virologists from more than 80 network-designated Academic Centers of Excellence for medical virology research and their affiliates in over 40 countries. They work together to advance understanding, prevention and eradication of viral diseases.

“I am thrilled that Dr. Gallo, a true pioneer in medical research and a hero in American medicine, has joined USF Health,” said Dr. Charles J. Lockwood, executive vice president of USF Health and dean of the Morsani College of Medicine.

“Together with Dr. Gallo and his virology team, USF Health, as the international headquarters of the Global Virus Network, will lead new research discoveries in the battle against infectious disease threats worldwide.”

Gallo is the James P. Cullison Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases. He will also develop and serve as director of the USF Health Virology Center. Four members of his University of Maryland team have joined him as USF faculty: Dr. Yukata Tagaya, Davide Zella, Francesca Benedetti and Hongshou Song.

In 2021, USF became the first regional headquarters for the Global Virus Network. It received the international headquarters designation earlier this year.

Gallo is the only two-time winner of the prestigious Lasker Award, for his aforementioned HIV-1 and retrovirus discoveries. He reigned as the most cited scientist in the world from 1980-1990.

“I am very excited to join USF Health and TGH Cancer Institute and to work closely with Charly Lockwood, Eduardo Sotomayor, my associates at the Global Virus Network, the team at USF Health Virology Center and my dear friend, Christian Brechot and the USF Microbiomes Institute,” Gallo said.  “I look forward to when Christian and I can join forces as co-directors and bring together the USF Microbiomes Institute and the USF Health Virology Center.”                     

- USF Health