Prof. Robert C. Gallo, MD, co-founder and director, The Homer & Martha Gudelsky Distinguished Professor in Medicine, Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine and  Co-Founder and Scientific Director, Global Virus Network (GVN). Dr. Gallo was previously at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) for 30 years prior to co-founding IHV in 1996.  In 1976, he and his co-workers discovered interleukin-2 (IL-2) followed by the discovery of the first human retroviruses, Human T Cell Leukemia Virus-1 (HTLV-1) and HTLV-2. Dr. Gallo and his colleagues co-discovered HIV as the cause of AIDS and developed the HIV blood test. Currently, he focuses on developing an HIV vaccine and viral oncology research.  Dr. Gallo has been awarded 35 honorary doctorates, is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and Institute of Medicine, and a member of the National Inventors Hall of Fame