Vittorio Gallo, Ph.D., obtained his Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Neurobiology at the University of Rome, Italy, working with Prof. Giulio Levi and the Nobel Laureate Prof. Rita-Levi Montalcini. He did his postdoctoral work at the MRC Developmental Neurobiology Unit, London (EMBO Fellow) – at the Laboratory of Preclinical Pharmacology, NIMH, NIH (Fogarty Fellow) – and in the Department of Pharmacology at University College, London (EMBO Fellow). In 1989, he became Visiting Scientist and NATO Fellow in the Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, NICHD, NIH - and then in 1992 Chief of the Section on Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology at NICHD, where he became a tenured investigator in 1995. In 2002, he moved to Children’s National Medical Center to become the Director of the Center for Neuroscience Research, where he built a research center focused on neural development and neurodevelopmental disorders.
Dr. Gallo’s research focuses on neural stem/progenitor cells and their potential for perinatal brain regeneration and repair after injury. By using animal models, he has extensively investigated injury in the developing white matter, and uncovered new cellular and molecular mechanisms to promote protection and regeneration. The NIH has funded Dr. Gallo’s individual research program since 2004, after he moved to Children’s from the NICHD Intramural Research Program. In 2018, he was awarded the NINDS Javits Award for his outstanding contributions to neuroscience, and in 2020 was selected as a member of the American Pediatric Society. He has served on several NIH review panels and chaired two NIH Study Sections (NCF an d CMBG). Dr. Gallo has authored more than 130 peer-reviewed articles, many in high impact international journals (Nature, Nature Neuroscience, Nature Communications, Science Translational Medicine, Neuron, Cell Reports, The Journal of Cell Biology, PNAS, The Journal of Neuroscience), and 30 review articles and book chapters (Neuron, Nature Neuroscience, Nature Reviews Neuroscience). He is on the editorial boards of Nature Neuroscience and Glia, and was Reviewing Editor of The Journal of Neuroscience.
In his current position as Interim Chief Academic Officer, Interim Director of the Children's National Research Institute and Associate Dean at GWU, he continues his efforts in promoting translational research and enhancing integration between lab-based and clinical investigation at the two institutions. He also continues to play a major mentorship role for both junior faculty, clinician scientists and fellows, many of them supported by career development awards. He has been preceptor for over 30 faculty at CNH. He plays a major role in recruitment of faculty and strongly contributes to the overall research mission of CNH. As Director of the DC-IDDRC, Dr. Gallo has overall responsibility for coordination and integration of scientific efforts between 4 institutions in the District of Columbia - CNH, GWU, Howard University, and Georgetown University.
