image: Robert Gallo
Credit: USF Health
Key takeaways:
- Led by HIV co-discoverer Dr. Robert Gallo, the new USF Health Institute for Translational Virology and Innovation will accelerate breakthroughs in viral disease, cancer biology and pandemic preparedness.
- The institute’s co-location with the Global Virus Network’s international headquarters makes USF a global hub for virology, uniting experts from more than 40 countries.
- With strong partnerships across Florida and the world, the institute will drive research, education and biotechnology development that improve public health and strengthen the state’s innovation economy.
TAMPA, FL (October 30, 2025) — The University of South Florida has launched a new virology institute founded and directed by legendary scientist Dr. Robert C. Gallo, best known as co-discoverer of HIV as the cause of AIDS.
The groundbreaking USF Health Institute for Translational Virology and Innovation will advance cutting-edge research to combat viral and immune-related threats worldwide, from virus-associated cancers and HIV to mosquito-borne diseases and pandemic pathogens. Through practical, sustainable solutions, the institute aims to improve human health while strengthening economic resilience in Florida and the United States.
Located at USF Research Park, the institute will also serve as a Center of Excellence for the Global Virus Network, an international coalition of leading virologists across more than 40 countries. USF was recently selected as the international headquarters of the GVN, which is now co-located in the same facility.
“The Institute for Translational Virology and Innovation will deliver high-quality science and innovation with direct relevance to clinical medicine and public health, particularly in viral diseases, virus-associated cancers and in preparing for future global viral threats,” said Gallo, the James P. Cullison Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases in the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine Department of Internal Medicine.
Under the leadership of Gallo — a two-time Albert Lasker Award winner whose pioneering work defined the field of human retroviruses and helped shape modern virus-related cancer research — the institute’s unified scientific enterprise spans some of the world’s most urgent virological and microbial threats, including virology, oncology, genomics and immunology.
Over the course of his distinguished career, Gallo and colleagues made historic contributions to medical science, including developing the world’s first HIV blood test, discovering interleukin-2 — the first human cytokine that made it possible to grow human T cells in the laboratory, and enabling the advent of cellular immunotherapies such as CAR T-cell therapy. He also discovered the first human retroviruses, including human T cell leukemia virus (HTLV-1), laying the foundation for decades of advances in virology, immunology and cancer research.
“The launch of this institute and the localization of the Global Virus Network headquarters are a defining moment for USF Health,” said Dr. Charles J. Lockwood, executive vice president of USF Health and dean of the Morsani College of Medicine. “It places us at the forefront of global virology and offers our students, residents and fellows unparalleled opportunities to train alongside scientific pioneers.”
Current research at the Institute for Translational Virology and Innovation focuses on how viruses cause tumors, including the role of HIV and HTLV-1 in chronic inflammation, immune dysfunction and cancer development. Investigators are also studying how people living with HIV, even when treated successfully and the virus is suppressed, still develop comorbidities. Additionally, the researchers are investigating the mechanisms by which certain bacteria can promote cancer development and contribute to developmental abnormalities in utero.
New initiatives will expand into other global health problems to address respiratory illnesses and mosquito-borne viruses, especially those relevant to Florida’s climate-sensitive environment. The institute is also boosting pandemic preparedness through genomic surveillance, outbreak modeling and One Health research in close collaboration with the Global Virus Network.
The USF Health Institute for Translational Virology and Innovation has established a partnership with Tampa General Hospital’s Cancer Institute, where Gallo leads the Microbial Oncology Program, to more rapidly advance discoveries from the laboratory to the clinic. Additional collaborations with Moffitt Cancer Center, CAN Community Health and international partners across Latin America, Africa, Europe and Asia will further solidify the institute’s role as a global nexus for virology innovation.
“It is my hope that these efforts will also foster high-skill job growth in Florida and will expand Florida’s biotechnology corridor,” Gallo said.
The institute will provide immersive opportunities for students, fellows and early-career scientists to work alongside leaders in the field and become the next generation of virologists. Workforce development will be bolstered through its affiliations across USF, including with the College of Public Health, Microbiomes Institute, Morsani College of Medicine Department of Pediatrics and the Division of Infectious Diseases and International Medicine. By integrating research, education and biotechnology entrepreneurship, the institute will enable discoveries that improve patient care while driving workforce development and expanding Florida’s biotechnology corridor.
The institute is also partnering with the GVN to develop a global viral surveillance infrastructure that integrates laboratory innovation, pathogen genomics and public health intelligence to strengthen Florida’s and the world’s capacity to respond rapidly to emerging threats and enhance pandemic preparedness.
“The University of South Florida is proud to be the home of this visionary institute,” USF President Rhea Law said. “Under Dr. Gallo’s leadership, the institute will further elevate our university’s global standing while growing our research impact and delivering innovations that improve lives across Florida, the nation and beyond.”
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About the University of South Florida
The University of South Florida is a top-ranked research university serving approximately 50,000 students from across the globe at campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota-Manatee and USF Health. In 2025, U.S. News & World Report recognized USF with its highest overall ranking in university history, as a top 50 public university for the seventh consecutive year and as one of the top 15 best values among all public universities in the nation. U.S. News also ranks the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine as the No. 1 medical school in Florida and in the highest tier nationwide. USF is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), a group that includes only the top 3% of universities in the U.S. With an all-time high of $738 million in research funding in 2024 and as a top 20 public university for producing U.S. patents, USF uses innovation to transform lives and shape a better future. The university generates an annual economic impact of more than $6 billion. USF’s Division I athletics teams compete in the American Conference. Learn more at www.usf.edu.
About USF Health
USF Health's mission is to envision and implement the future of health. It is the partnership of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, the College of Nursing, the College of Public Health, the Taneja College of Pharmacy, the School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences, the Biomedical Sciences Graduate and Postdoctoral Programs, and USF Health’s multispecialty physicians’ group. The University of South Florida is a high-impact global research university dedicated to student success. Over the past 10 years, no other public university in the country has risen faster in U.S. News & World Report’s national university rankings than USF. For more information, visit health.usf.edu.
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