TAMPA, Fla. — The University of South Florida (USF) has been selected as host of the international headquarters of the Global Virus Network (GVN). This designation will allow USF scientists to have greater access to research across the globe.
The GVN is a coalition of virologists spanning 80 Centers of Excellence and Affiliates in over 40 countries to advance surrounding knowledge on pandemic viruses and pathogens.
Top leaders from USF and GVN hosted a formal signing ceremony on Wednesday following Tuesday's vote by the USF Board of Trustees. This decision follows USF's invitation to join the Association of American Universities in June 2023. Since, the university has grown its research enterprise and saw a record amount of funding during the 2023 fiscal year.
Dr. Robert Gallo, a world-renowned scientist known for being the co-discoverer of HIV, the co-founder of the GVN and chairman of its Scientific Leadership Board, will join USF Health Morsani College of Medicine faculty in the Division of Infection Diseases as the James P. Cullison Professor of Medicine. He will serve as director of the USF Health Virology Center and the senior scientific advisor to the USF Microbiomes Institute and will be joined by his team of researchers.
"We are honored to grow our partnership with the Global Virus Network, a highly regarded coalition of leading experts who share the University of South Florida’s mission to find solutions for complex problems and create a healthier future,” USF President Rhea Law said in a statement. “We are quite pleased to welcome Dr. Robert Gallo and his team, who will help elevate USF’s research impact as they continue to advance our knowledge in critical medical fields.”
Gallo will also be branching outside of USF by joining the Tampa General Hospital (TGH) Cancer Institute as program director for Infectious Agents and Oncogenesis and senior scientific advisor to the Office of the Director of the TGH Cancer Institute.
USF was chosen as the first regional headquarters for GVN in 2021. With its new designation, USF Health scientists will have the opportunity to partner with GVN experts across the world to translate research into application, improve diagnostics and therapies, develop vaccines and share research and ideas.
“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 GVN, the team at USF Health Virology Center and my dear friend, Christian Brechot and the USF Microbiomes Institute,” Gallo said at Wednesday's signing ceremony. “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, significantly contributing to USF’s commitment to becoming a leading interdisciplinary research facility."
Gallo is set to move from the University of Maryland into USF labs and begin his work in July.
