An internationally recognized physician-scientist who helped revolutionize hepatitis C treatment is joining USF Health to lead a major expansion of its clinical research enterprise. Dr. Shyam Kottilil, whose career includes groundbreaking work at the National Institutes of Health and the University of Maryland, will serve as vice dean for clinical research and director of the newly established Center for the Study of Liver Disease.
Dr. Kottilil’s research has directly transformed patient care. His studies contributed to advances in hepatitis C therapy that showed patients could be cured in as little as six weeks using oral antiviral medications. His work also demonstrated that primary care physicians and nurses could deliver these treatments effectively, expanding access beyond specialty clinics. His focus extends to HIV, hepatitis B, liver disease and virus-associated cancers.
One patient interaction early in his career shaped his approach. During a hepatitis C clinical trial, a woman facing substance use and mental health challenges died before she could begin therapy due to a treatment-related delay. “It taught me how vulnerable our patient population is,” Dr. Kottilil said. “It reinforced for me the urgency of treating populations in need.”
New Role, Expanding Ambitions
At USF Health, Dr. Kottilil will oversee the growth of clinical trials, strengthen industry partnerships and expand translational science initiatives. He will also continue his own research at the USF Health Institute for Translational Virology and Innovation and the TGH Cancer Institute. Among his early priorities is applying artificial intelligence to improve liver disease surveillance, including identifying patients at risk for hospitalization and detecting liver cancer earlier.
Dr. Kottilil joins a team that includes Dr. Robert C. Gallo, who co-discovered HIV as the cause of AIDS and now leads the Institute for Translational Virology and Innovation. The two previously worked together at the University of Maryland. “He is an outstanding physician-scientist with exceptional clinical judgment, scientific insight and integrity,” Dr. Gallo said. “He is also a gifted mentor and collaborator who never loses sight of the patient.”
Looking ahead, Dr. Kottilil sees USF Health as poised to become a global destination for clinical and translational research. “Clinical research has become increasingly complex,” he said. “Our ability to translate discoveries into better care remains one of our greatest challenges. I see translational research becoming even more important in the years ahead, and I believe institutions like USF Health have an opportunity to lead that effort.”