TAMPA, Fla., March 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Global Virus Network (GVN) marked the opening of its International Headquarters on March 5 at the University of South Florida (USF) Institute for Translational Virology and Innovation (ITVI), a GVN Center of Excellence. The Global Virus Network represents eminent human and animal virologists from more than 90 Centers of Excellence and Affiliates across over 40 countries working to advance research, collaboration and pandemic preparedness.
The ribbon-cutting formalizes a strategic partnership that positions USF Health as the permanent home of GVN’s global scientific network and expands its capacity to coordinate research, surveillance and response to emerging viral threats. GVN selected USF in 2024 to host its International Headquarters.
“We are proud that the Global Virus Network has chosen to establish its International Headquarters at USF, connecting our students, researchers and clinicians with leading virologists and institutions around the world,” said Moez Limayem, PhD, president of the University of South Florida. “USF is deeply committed to supporting GVN’s global mission, and we are excited to host this international hub for virology and pandemic preparedness. This partnership reflects USF Health’s leadership in global health and advances our mission to drive high-impact research and scientific collaboration.”
Founded fifteen years ago following lessons learned from the HIV/AIDS pandemic, the GVN was created to unite the world’s foremost virologists in a permanent, independent scientific network focused on understanding and confronting viral diseases. The network now includes Centers of Excellence and Affiliates across six continents, working collaboratively to improve how the world detects, studies and responds to viral outbreaks.
“The establishment of the Global Virus Network’s International Headquarters at USF Health reflects the strength of the scientific and clinical ecosystem we are building here in Tampa,” said Charles J. Lockwood, MD, MHCM, executive vice president of USF Health and dean of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. “By bringing together world-leading virologists with clinicians, this partnership accelerates the path from discovery to real-world impact, improving how we detect, understand and respond to viral diseases that threaten global health.”
The headquarters is housed within the USF Health Institute for Translational Virology and Innovation, founded and directed by Robert C. Gallo, MD, who is also co-founder and international scientific director of GVN and best known for his pioneering discovery of human retroviruses, including HIV as the cause of AIDS.
“This is a very important and meaningful day for the Global Virus Network and for me personally,” Dr. Gallo said. “When we founded GVN fifteen years ago, our goal was simple but ambitious: to unite the world’s leading virologists into a consequential scientific network dedicated to confronting viral threats. We could not have found a better home for GVN than USF Health. The partnership ensures that the network has the stability and environment needed to expand its global mission in pandemic preparedness and translational virology.”
Mathew Evins, chief executive officer and managing executive of the Global Virus Network, said the headquarters represents a focal point for global scientific collaboration.
“The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the need for independent, globally connected scientific infrastructure that exists between outbreaks, not just during crises,” Evins said. “As we cut this ribbon, we are establishing a permanent hub for collaboration, a place where scientists strengthen surveillance, accelerate research and improve the world’s ability to respond to viral threats. Pandemic preparedness requires sustained international cooperation, and this partnership provides the foundation for that work.”
The establishment of GVN’s International Headquarters at USF reinforces a shared commitment to scientific rigor, long-term preparedness and global collaboration in confronting current and future viral threats.
“What we open today is more than a headquarters,” Dr. Gallo said. “It is a foundation for the future, for scientific discovery, global partnership and protecting public health worldwide.”
To view this story on the GVN website, click here.
Click here for images of event and International HQ
Media Contacts:
Nora Samaranayake
nsamaranayake@gvn.org
Global Virus Network
Cody Hawley, PhD
crhawley@usf.edu
University of South Florida
About the Global Virus Network
The Global Virus Network (GVN) is a worldwide coalition comprising 90+ Virology Centers of Excellence and Affiliates across 40+ countries, whose mission is to facilitate pandemic preparedness against viral pathogens and diseases that threaten public health globally. GVN advances knowledge of viruses through (i) data-driven research and solutions, (ii) fostering the next generation of virology leaders, and (iii) enhancing global resources for readiness and response to emerging viral threats. GVN provides the essential expertise required to discover and diagnose viruses that threaten public health, understand how such viruses spread illnesses, and facilitate the development of diagnostics, therapies, and treatments to combat them. GVN coordinates and collaborates with local, national, and international scientific institutions and government agencies to provide real-time virus informatics, surveillance, and response resources and strategies. GVN's pandemic preparedness mission is achieved by focusing on Education & Training, Qualitative & Quantitative Research, and Global Health Strategies & Solutions. The GVN is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. For more information, please visit www.gvn.org.
About USF Health
USF Health is dedicated to making life better through research, education and patient care. It is the partnership of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, the College of Nursing, the College of Public Health, the Taneja College of Pharmacy, the School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences, the Biomedical Sciences Graduate and Postdoctoral Programs and USF Health’s multispecialty physicians’ group, the largest on Florida’s west coast. In 2025, U.S. News & World Report ranked the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine as the No. 1 medical school in Florida and in the highest tier nationwide for research. U.S. News also ranked the USF College of Public Health and the USF College of Nursing’s Master of Science program No. 1 in the state. Together with Tampa General Hospital, USF Health forms one of the nation’s premier academic health systems, with more than 1,000 physicians and providers caring for more than one million patients each year. USF Health is part of the University of South Florida, a top-ranked research university and member of the Association of American Universities (AAU). USF serves approximately 50,000 students and generates nearly $10 billion in annual economic impact for Florida. For more information, visit health.usf.edu.
