San Diego, California, USA: The University of California, San Diego has named Rohit Loomba as the first recipient of the John C. Martin Endowed Chair in Liver Disease. This endowed position was created through support from the John C. Martin Foundation and is dedicated to advancing scientific progress and clinical care related to liver disorders.

The chair recognises the legacy of the late John C. Martin, a respected biotechnology pioneer whose leadership at Gilead Sciences helped expand global access to antiviral medications.

Lillian Lou, president of the foundation, expressed her support, saying, “It is a privilege to honour Rohit Loomba, who worked closely with John Martin for many years. We hope this position continues to inspire groundbreaking research that reflects John’s global mission.”

Dr Loomba currently serves as the chief of gastroenterology and hepatology and is a professor of medicine at UC San Diego. He also directs the university’s MASLD Research Centre, where his team develops advanced noninvasive imaging technologies that have significantly decreased the reliance on liver biopsies and are now standard tools in numerous clinical trials.

He played a central role in establishing MRI-PDFF as an internationally recognised biomarker for assessing treatment responses, contributing to multiple FDA-approved therapies and more than a hundred clinical studies.

“This endowed chair gives us the ability to advance new therapies and innovative solutions for digestive and liver-related diseases,” Loomba said.

Throughout his career, he has authored over 600 scientific publications, secured several patents for noninvasive liver diagnostics, and led multiple NIH-funded research programs aimed at improving liver disease treatments. He is also a member of prestigious medical organisations, including the American Society of Clinical Investigation and the Association of American Physicians.