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Antonio Bertoletti

Scientific Advisor at Assembly Biosciences

Dr. Bertoletti is an expert in the field of viral hepatitis, with a specific interest in the immunopathogenesis of HBV infection. He began working in viral hepatitis as a medical student at the University of Parma. During his MD specialization (1991) in Infectious Diseases he spent two years at The Scripps Research Institute characterizing for the first time the Hepatitis B virus (HBV) specific cytotoxic T cell response in man. He returned to the University of Parma, where he worked in the Department of Infectious Diseases as a Clinical Scientist continuing his study of human HBV specific T cells. In 1995 Dr. Bertoletti joined the MRC Unit in Gambia, as Senior Immunologist, to study HIV-2 specific T cell Immunity before accepting a position of Senior Lecturer at “The UCL Institute of Hepatology” at University College of London.

In 2006 he became the Director of Infection and Immunity Program at the Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (A*STAR) until 2013 before moving, as Full Professor, to the Emerging Viral Disease Program at Duke-NUS Medical School. He also maintains an Adjunct Position at the Singapore Immunology Network, (A*STAR).

His current research is focus on the development of new immunological based therapies (TCR-redirected T cells) for the treatment of HBV chronic infection and hepatocellular carcinoma and on the characterization of antiviral immunity in chronic HBV patients. After the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, his laboratory has been actively involved in the characterization of SARS-COV2 specific T cell immune response in COVID-19 and SARS convalescent and healthy individuals.

Timeline

  • Scientific Advisor

    Current role