The University of California San Diego (UC San Diego) has appointed Rohit Loomba, M.D. as the inaugural holder of the John C. Martin Endowed Chair in Liver Disease. This position, established through a generous gift from the John C. Martin Foundation, aims to advance innovative research and treatment approaches for liver diseases, with a particular emphasis on understanding population-based risk factors.
The endowed chair honors John C. Martin, a prominent scientist and business leader who dedicated his career to enhancing global health. His legacy includes significant contributions to clinical research, access to life-saving medicines, and patient advocacy. Endowed chairs at UC San Diego are prestigious appointments that recognize scholars whose work profoundly influences their fields and communities.
“Supporting Rohit Loomba, a long-time colleague of John Martin, as the inaugural chair holder is both an honor and a privilege,” stated Lillian Lou, president of the John C. Martin Foundation and Martin’s life partner. “I hope that his transformative research will reflect the global initiatives John championed.”
John C. Martin served as chairman and CEO of Gilead Sciences, Inc. from 2008 to 2016, and was president and CEO from 1996 to 2008. His tenure at Gilead, which began in 1990, saw the company innovate treatments for HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C, revolutionizing therapy for millions worldwide. Martin passed away in 2021, leaving behind a significant impact on public health and pharmaceutical accessibility.
“UC San Diego is recognized as the world’s leading institution for gastroenterology and hepatology research, thanks to our dedicated faculty who prioritize innovative research and patient care,” said Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla. “The appointment of Dr. Loomba to the chair named after John Martin reflects their shared commitment to improving the quality of life for patients globally.”
Before his role at Gilead, Martin held executive positions at Bristol Myers Squibb and Syntex Corporation. He also contributed to various health initiatives as a member of the Centers for Disease Control and Health Resources and Services Administration’s Advisory Committee on HIV and STD Prevention and Treatment, along with being part of the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS. He was recognized as a member of the National Academy of Engineering for his contributions.
“John Martin was a scientific visionary who changed how life-saving medicines for HIV, HCV, and HBV reached patients worldwide,” remarked Bill Lee, former executive vice president of research at Gilead Sciences and a friend of Martin. “He believed that access to therapies should be universal, regardless of geographic location, guiding global efforts to eradicate hepatitis C and enhance treatment access for HIV and HBV.”
Dr. Rohit Loomba, now the inaugural holder of the chair, is a professor of medicine at the UC San Diego School of Medicine and serves as the chief of the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. He also practices at UC San Diego Health, where the institution ranks first globally for gastroenterology and hepatology research according to U.S. News & World Report.
In addition to leading the division, Loomba is the founding director of the UC San Diego Metabolic-Dysfunction Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD) Research Center. Here, a multidisciplinary team is pioneering noninvasive testing methods for liver disease evaluation and treatment response assessment. These advancements are transforming clinical practices by minimizing the need for invasive liver biopsies and offering more precise ways to monitor disease progression.
“This endowed chair enables us to explore new cures and innovative treatment options for digestive diseases,” Loomba stated. “Our work aims to impact patients locally while striving for global excellence in all our clinical and academic pursuits.”
Loomba’s expertise in liver disease research has earned him international recognition. He has been instrumental in developing MRI-PDFF as a noninvasive biomarker for treatment response in clinical trials for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). This advanced MRI technique allows healthcare providers to measure liver fat without a biopsy, providing a safer, more accurate way to assess patient responses to new therapies.
This method has been adopted in over 100 clinical trials worldwide and has contributed to the FDA approval of new treatments, continuing to guide large-scale Phase 3 trials that confirm a therapy’s safety and efficacy before approval. Loomba has authored more than 600 manuscripts in leading journals and co-edits Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics. He also leads multiple projects funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and plays a significant role in clinical research networks aimed at advancing liver disease treatment.
For more information about the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at UC San Diego, visit gastroenterology.ucsd.edu.
