James P. Cullison Professor of Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of
Internal Medicine
Founding Director, USF Health Institute for Translational Virology and Innovation
Director, Microbial Oncology Program, Tampa General Hospital Cancer Institute
Chairman, Scientific Leadership Board and Co-Founder, Global Virus Network

Biography
Dr. Robert C. Gallo is world-renowned for his research on HIV, most notably his co-
discovery in 1984 that HIV (a retrovirus) was the cause of AIDS and his development of
the HIV blood test. Previously, Gallo and fellow scientists discovered the first human
retrovirus, HTLV-1, a cause of adult T cell leukemia. The discoveries of all human
retroviruses (HTLV-1, HTLV-2 and HIV) were dependent on Gallo’s earlier discovery in
1976 of interleukin-2 (IL-2), a growth factor for human T cells, which enabled scientists
to culture human T cells for virus isolations. IL-2 is now also used widely in all cancer
cell immunotherapy. In 1986, he isolated human herpes virus 6 (HHV-6), the first new
human herpes virus discovered in more than 25 years. Later, others showed HHV-6
caused Roseola. In 1996, his discovery that some natural compounds known as
chemokines can block HIV was hailed by Science magazine as that year’s most
important scientific breakthroughs. Gallo’s current work continues to lead
groundbreaking studies in infectious diseases, cancer virology, and global health. Gallo
has authored over 1,300 scientific publications as well as the book “Virus Hunting –
AIDS, Cancer & the Human Retrovirus.” Gallo has been awarded nearly 40 honorary
doctorates and was twice recipient of the U.S. Albert Lasker Award in Medicine (1982
and 1986) and many other top honors from countries from around the world. He was the
most cited scientist in the world from 1980 to 1990. Gallo is a member of the National

Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Medicine. Gallo was previously at the National
Cancer Institute from 1965 to 1995, co-founded and directed the Institute of Human
Virology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine from 1995-2024, and co-
founded and chaired the Scientific Leadership Board of the Global Virus Network since
2011 to present, prior to joining the University of South Florida to found the USF Health
Virology Institute and direct the Microbial Oncology Program at the Tampa General
Hospital Cancer Institute in 2024.
Research Interests
 Dr. Gallo focuses on retroviruses, cancer mechanisms, and the development of
innovative therapies and diagnostics for viral diseases. He is also instrumental in
and dedicated to bringing the world’s leading virologists together to advance
science and global public health through the Global Virus Network.
Awards/Honors
 Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award (1982)
 General Motors Charles S. Mott Cancer Research Prize (1984)
 Albert Lasker Clinical Medical Research Award (1986)
 Birla International Award (1986)
 Gairdner Foundation International Award (1987)
 The Japan Prize for Science and Technology (1988)
 Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize (1999)
 Principe de Asturias Award for Technical and Scientific Research (2000)
 James Joyce Award of the Literary and Historical Society (2009)
 Dan David Prize for Future Global Public Health (2009)
 Magna Graecia International Prize (2020)
 VCANBIO Award for International Cooperation in Life Sciences and Medicine
(2020)