Dr. Liotta is a world-renowned medicinal chemist, drug developer and an entrepreneur. His research focuses on the discovery and development of novel antiviral, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory therapeutic agents. Dr. Liotta’s innovations include 18 FDA-approved therapeutics. Dr. Liotta co-founded more than ten biotech companies, including Pharmasset, Triangle Pharma, Altesa Bio, AgriThera, and Que Oncology, among others. Triangle Pharma, which developed emtricitabine for HIV/AIDS was acquired by Gilead for $525.2 million in 2003. Pharmasset, which developed sofosbuvir for hepatitis C, was also acquired by Gilead for $11.2 billion in 2012. With over 300 peer-reviewed articles and 100 issued patents, Dr. Liotta's scientific impact is profound.

Dr. Liotta earned his PhD in organic chemistry from the City University of New York, completed postdoctoral fellowship at Ohio State, and he joined Emory in Atlanta as an assistant professor in 1976. Dr. Liotta rose to full professor in 1988 and currently holds the Samuel Candler Dobbs Professorship. He chaired the Chemistry Department from 1993 to 1996 and served as Emory’s Vice President for Research from 1996 to 2000. His dedication was recognized in 2011 with the Thomas Jefferson Award, Emory University’s highest service accolade.