Maria Gabriella Santoro

Maria Gabriella Santoro is a Professor of Virology at the University of Rome Tor Vergata (Faculty of Sciences) since 1997. She trained in cell biology and virology at Washington University Medical School (USA) and SUNY Medical School (USA), after graduating in Biological Sciences from the University of Naples.

• Education: University of Naples (Biology), Washington University Medical School (postdoc)
• Key research areas:
  • Stress response biology
  • NF-κB signaling in viral infection and cancer
  • Prostanoid molecular targets
  • Antiviral chemotherapy development

Her work on cyclopentenone prostanoids and thiazolides led to novel antiviral drugs, including nitazoxanide for influenza now in global Phase 3 trials. She discovered indomethacin’s anti-coronavirus activity and has authored 3 books, 120+ publications, and 15+ international patents.

Scientific leadership includes:

• EMBO Member (2000-present)
• President, Cell Stress Society International (2015-2018)
• Executive Council member, Fondazione Chiara D’Onofrio (Italy)
• Editorial Board member for journals like Cell Stress and Chaperones and Gene Therapy & Molecular Biology

Her lab collaborates with experts from Harvard Medical School, ICGEB, and European/US chemistry departments. Current projects focus on post-translational viral protein modifications and NF-κB/HSF1 cross-talk in RNA virus infections.