The Institute of Human Virology Receives $5.5 Million Endowment from the John C Martin Foundation

The University of Maryland School of Medicine received a $5.5 million endowment from the John C. Martin Foundation to the Institute of Human Virology (IHV) at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM). This sizeable award inaugurates John C Martin Lectureship and Distinguished Chair , the first endowed chair of its kind in this discipline, and one of the largest endowments in IHV’s history. 

The John C. Martin Distinguished Chair will be awarded to a senior faculty member of the Institute whose work exemplifies transformative contributions to virology. The endowed will advance the Institute’s mission by supporting research in new discoveries, promoting public private partnerships, implementation research, global outreach to reduce the burden of viral diseases, and promoting education in translational research for fellows in virology. 

Additionally, as part of this historic gift, the Institute will establish the John C. Martin Lectureship at the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB). This lecture series will bring together leaders in virology and translational medicine to discuss research and will be open to faculty, students and the scientific community. 

“John C Martin was a visionary CEO of Gilead Sciences and an advocate of facilitating access to life saving antivirals to everyone affected with the disease in the world,” said Shyam Kottilil, MD, PhD, interim director of IHV. “He was an avid promoter of the work performed at the Institute of Human Virology. It is only most appropriate that John C Martin Foundation decided to honor John by endowing a distinguished professorship chair and an annual lectureship in his name at the institute. This endowment will carry on John’s life mission in fostering virology research at the Institute.”

John C. Martin, PhD, former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Gilead Sciences Inc., was a globally recognized scientist and executive whose vision and leadership at Gilead Sciences transformed HIV/AIDS treatment and other viral diseases. His efforts resulted in the development and worldwide distribution of life-saving antiviral therapies that continue to improve millions of lives. Dr. Martin, a long-time friend of the Institute, interacted with IHV leadership very closely and advised many faculty on various research projects.  Dr. Martin was honored by the Institute with the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014 and was the IHV Annual Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum lecturer in 2017. He continued to serve as an advisor and champion for the Institute’s mission until his passing in 2021. 

Founded in 1996 as a partnership between the State of Maryland, the City of Baltimore, the University System of Maryland and the University of Maryland Medical System, the Institute of Human Virology is home to some of the most globally recognized and world-renowned experts in the field of human virology. Most notable among these diseases is HIV/AIDS. 

IHV has previously been the beneficiary of other lucrative philanthropic gifts including:

• Robert C Gallo Distinguished Professorship in Translational Medicine: George Lewis, PhD
• Charles Gordon Smith Professorship in HIV Research: Lishan Su, PhD
• Homer and Martha Gudelsky Distinguished Professorship in Medicine: Manhattan, Charurat PhD

The John C. Martin Foundation endowment is yet another example of the recognition of IHV as one of the leading institutions in virology globally.

The recent signing ceremony was attended by distinguished UMB  leaders including: UM School of Medicine Dean Mark T. Gladwin, MD, Dr.  Kottilil, MD, PhD, Sarah Kattakuzhy, MD, and Elana Rosenthal, MD, Director of the Institute for Genome Sciences The presence of these esteemed faculty members highlighted the academic and scientific strength that the John C Martin Lectureship and Distinguished Chair will continue to cultivate. 

“Dr. John C. Martin’s endowment represents a pivotal advancement in our pursuit of translational virology,” said Dean Gladwin. “By establishing the John C. Martin Distinguished Chair, we are investing in the scientific infrastructure needed to accelerate the translation of molecular discoveries into real-world interventions that combat viral diseases globally. This support will catalyze high-impact research, foster interdisciplinary collaboration, and strengthen our capacity to train future leaders in virology.”