Uri Galili

Uri Galili is an immunologist who received his PhD in 1977 at the Hebrew University School of Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel. Following postdoctoral research at the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm (1977-1979), he worked at Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem (1979-1984), where he discovered anti-Gal as the most abundant natural antibody in humans. In collaboration with Bruce Macher at University of California Medical Center, San Francisco (1984-1990), he identified the a-gal epitope as the...See more

Uri Galili is an immunologist who received his PhD in 1977 at the Hebrew University School of Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel. Following postdoctoral research at the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm (1977-1979), he worked at Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem (1979-1984), where he discovered anti-Gal as the most abundant natural antibody in humans. In collaboration with Bruce Macher at University of California Medical Center, San Francisco (1984-1990), he identified the a-gal epitope as the mammalian antigen that binds anti-Gal, determined the unique evolution of anti-Gal and a-gal epitopes in primates and studied the molecular basis for this evolution. In MCP-Hahnemann School of Medicine, Philadelphia (1991-1999), he studied the significance of anti-Gal/a-gal epitope interaction as an immune barrier in xenotransplantation and initiated studies on harnessing anti-Gal in cancer immunotherapy and in amplifying immune response to viruses. At Rush Medical School, Chicago (1999-2004), he studied immune tolerance induction to a-gal epitopes. In the Department of Surgery at UMass Medical School, Worcester (2004-2013), he developed a method for in situ conversion of tumors into autologous vaccines targeted to antigen-presenting cells by intratumoral injection of a-gal glycolipids, performed clinical trials with this immunotherapy and demonstrated increased immunogenicity of influenza and HIV vaccines presenting a-gal epitopes. He further developed anti-Gal binding a-gal nanoparticles that accelerate wound and burn healing and induce tissue regeneration in internal injuries. Prof. Galili retired in 2013 and lives in Chicago. He continues his research as a volunteer Adjunct Professor at Rush Medical School, on a-gal nanoparticles induced regeneration of ischemic myocardium, post myocardial infarction. See less