Luca Guidotti

Professor Luca Guidotti is an internationally renowned virologist and immunologist currently serving as Full Professor of General Pathology at Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele in Milan and Scientific Vice-Director at IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele. With over twenty years of experience at The Scripps Research Institute in California, Professor Guidotti leads the Immunopathology Research Unit at OSR and maintains an adjunct professorship at TSRI. His work bridges fundamental immunological research with clinical applications, particularly in liver diseases and viral infections.

Professor Guidotti's research primarily focuses on liver immunopathology, with special emphasis on hepatitis B virus and immune responses to viral infections. His work has significantly advanced our understanding of how the immune system interacts with viruses in the liver microenvironment. Key research areas include:

• Mechanisms of CD8+ T cell dysfunction in chronic viral hepatitis
• Role of Kupffer cells and liver endothelial cells in antiviral immunity
• Development of novel therapeutic approaches for hepatitis B
• Immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 and other viral pathogens
• Immunological barriers to cancer metastasis in the liver

Analysis of Professor Guidotti's recent publications (2022-2025) reveals a consistent focus on liver immunology and viral pathogenesis. His work demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of how immune cells interact within the unique liver microenvironment to combat viral infections. A notable trend is the exploration of CD4+ T cell regulation of other immune cells, particularly in reversing CD8+ T cell exhaustion during chronic viral infections. His research increasingly incorporates advanced imaging techniques to visualize immune processes in living tissue, building on his ERC-funded work in intravital microscopy.

Professor Guidotti's significant scientific achievements have been recognized with prestigious awards:

• ERC Advanced Grant (2010-2016): "Imaging liver immunopathology by intravital microscopy"
• Gold Medal for "Excellence in Antiviral Research" (2001, Tokyo)
• NIH Grant AI40696 (1996-2014): "Regulation of HBV replication by the immune system"

Throughout his career, Professor Guidotti has secured substantial research funding from major international organizations including the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the European Research Council (ERC). He has served extensively as a reviewer for research grant panels, including the ERC Starting Grants panel (2013-2019), NIH study sections, and funding agencies in Belgium, Singapore, and the UK. His leadership extends to serving on the editorial board of Current Opinion of Virology and as a reviewer for top-tier journals including Cell, Nature, Science, and The Lancet.

Professor Guidotti leads the Immunopathology Research Unit at IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, where his team investigates the complex interactions between viruses and the immune system, particularly in the liver. His laboratory combines advanced microscopy, molecular biology, and immunological techniques to study viral pathogenesis and host immune responses. He is actively involved in several international collaborations, including the International Coalition to Eliminate Hepatitis B virus (ICE-HBV) and serves on scientific advisory boards for biotechnology companies focused on liver diseases and viral infections.