Francis V. Chisari, M.D.

Scientific Advisor

Francis V. Chisari, M.D., is a scientific advisor to Vir. He is an Emeritus Professor of Virology and Immunology at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI), in La Jolla, California.

Beginning in 1970 as a Research Associate at the NIH until 2015 when he retired as a Professor of Virology and Immunology at TSRI, Dr. Chisari and his colleagues studied the host-virus interactions that determine the outcome of viral infections, using the hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV) viruses as models. Along the way he trained over 100 young scientists whose studies transformed our understanding of the immunobiology and pathogenesis of HBV and HCV infection and the life-threatening diseases they cause in hundreds of millions of people worldwide today. In recognition of his contributions, Dr. Chisari has received many honors and awards, including the Distinguished Achievement Award from American Association for the Study of Liver Disease; the Rous-Whipple Award from the American Society for Investigative Pathology, the Distinguished Alumnus Award from Weill-Cornell University Medical College, and election to fellowship and membership in learned societies, including the Association of American Physicians, the American Academy of Microbiology, the National Academy of Sciences, USA and the National Academy of Medicine, USA. 

Dr. Chisari received his B.A. in Biology from Fordham University and his M.D. from Cornell University.