SLU’s Adrian Di Bisceglie Named Fellow of the Academy of Science St. Louis

02/12/2019

Saint Louis University physician and researcher Adrian Di Bisceglie, M.D., has been named a fellow of the Academy of Science St. Louis for his work as a physician, researcher and leader in the field of hepatology, especially his work in furthering the nation’s prevention and treatment of viral hepatitis.

Di Bisceglie, who is professor of internal medicine at SLU and a SLUCare physician, will be honored with other local scientists at the Academy’s 25th annual Outstanding St. Louis Scientists Awards dinner on Thursday, April 4, at the Missouri Botanical Garden. The Fellows Award recognizes distinguished individuals for outstanding achievements in science.

Di Bisceglie’s research has focused on hepatitis B and hepatitis C viral infections, which can cause fibrosis and cirrhosis, as well as other complications that may lead to liver cancer and death.

From discovery of the hepatitis C virus in 1989 to the advent of new drugs that can cure the illness, Di Bisceglie has been a driving force in the remarkable progress that has been made in treating viral hepatitis.

In South Africa, Di Bisceglie was a member of the first team to use recombinant alpha interferon to treat hepatitis B. At the NIH, he helped develop alpha interferon as a therapy for chronic hepatitis C. Di Bisceglie was the first to test ribavirin as a therapy for chronic hepatitis C.

Di Bisceglie joined SLU in 1994, where he serves as co-director of the Saint Louis University Liver Center and the Badeeh A. & Catherine V. Bander Endowed Chair in Internal Medicine. From 2006 to 2017, he served as chairman of the department of internal medicine.

At SLU, Di Bisceglie led clinical trials and authored research that made significant contributions to the new viral hepatitis treatment options now available to patients. Of particular note is his leadership of the landmark NIH-funded HALT-C clinical trial. In 1999, he was named chairman of the steering committee of this nationwide study that began, for the first time, to make real strides in understanding the nature of the hepatitis C virus.

In 2014, Di Bisceglie served as president of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases. That year, he also was honored at the White House where the Office of National Drug Control Policy and the Office of National AIDS Policy recognized his contributions to fighting liver disease at a ceremony to commemorate World Hepatitis Day.

Di Bisceglie has served as an advisor to the NIH, FDA and CDC. He has been an ad hoc grant reviewer for several granting agencies including the NIDDK, the NIAID, the NIAA, and the AACGG.

Currently, Di Bisceglie is the site principal investigator for the Hepatitis B Research Network, an NIH-funded network studying the natural history and treatment of chronic hepatitis B infection, and he serves as either principal investigator or co-investigator on an additional seven NIH or foundation awards. He also has been a co-developer with Xiofeng Fan, Ph.D., associate research professor of internal medicine at SLU, on six patents.

To learn more about the Academy’s 25th Annual Outstanding St. Louis Scientists Awards dinner, visit: https://www.academyofsciencestl.org/awards/.

The Academy of Science St. Louis

The Academy of Science St. Louis aims to focus the region’s attention upon individuals, institutions and corporations known worldwide for their scientific contributions to research, industry and quality of life. When considering nominees for awards, special consideration is given to those with a record of excellence in communicating with the public, mentoring colleagues or leadership in the field of science or industry.

Saint Louis University School of Medicine

Established in 1836, Saint Louis University School of Medicine has the distinction of awarding the first medical degree west of the Mississippi River. The school educates physicians and biomedical scientists, conducts medical research, and provides health care on a local, national and international level. Research at the school seeks new cures and treatments in five key areas: cancer, liver disease, heart/lung disease, aging and brain disease, and infectious diseases.