The University of California, San Diego has announced Dr. Rohit Loomba as the inaugural holder of the John C. Martin Endowed Chair in Liver Disease, a position created through a philanthropic gift from the John C. Martin Foundation. The endowment is designed to accelerate breakthroughs in liver disease research, especially those that examine large-scale risk factors and support innovative approaches to prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.
Dr. Loomba currently serves as a Professor of Medicine at the UC San Diego School of Medicine. He is also Chief of the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, in addition to practicing as a hepatologist at UC San Diego Health. Further, he leads the university’s Metabolic-Dysfunction Associated Steatotic Liver Disease Research Center, which focuses on understanding and combating one of the fastest-growing liver conditions in the world.
Widely recognized for advancing noninvasive diagnostics, Loomba played a central role in developing MRI-PDFF, a technology that quantifies liver fat without requiring a tissue biopsy. This imaging innovation is now used in more than 100 clinical trials globally and has reshaped both research and clinical care. By enabling physicians and researchers to track how patients respond to emerging therapies—particularly for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH)—the technique has become a key component in studies that support FDA approval processes.
Loomba emphasized the significance of the new role, noting that the endowed chair provides a platform to pursue next-generation treatments for digestive and liver diseases. He added that the team at UC San Diego aims to create local progress with worldwide impact, maintaining a commitment to excellence in research, clinical care, and academic training.
The endowment honors John C. Martin, a pioneering scientist and executive who spent two decades as chairman and CEO of Gilead Sciences. Under his leadership, global treatment standards for HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C underwent transformational change. Lillian Lou, president of the John C. Martin Foundation and Martin’s life partner, expressed pride in supporting Loomba, highlighting his long professional association with Martin and their shared dedication to advancing lifesaving therapies.
UC San Diego Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla described Loomba’s appointment as highly appropriate, reflecting the aligned missions of Loomba and Martin in improving health outcomes worldwide.
Dr. Loomba’s medical journey began at the Armed Forces Medical College under Pune University. He later completed his residency in internal medicine at St. Luke’s Hospital in St. Louis, followed by an advanced fellowship in hepatology at the National Institutes of Health. He also earned a master’s degree in clinical research through the NIH-Duke University collaboration before joining UC San Diego’s faculty.
