The son of the renowned pediatrician, Jorge Elias Kalil, and Dona Dalila de Freitas Kalil, Jorge Elias Kalil Filho was born on December 1st, 1953. Despite showing, from an early age, a keen interest in natural sciences, he decided to focus on medicine and graduated in 1977 from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). Later on, he completed a Master’s degree in Immunology and Immunogenetics, followed by a Ph.D. in Sciences from the Paris Diderot University in France in 1982.
Dr. Kalil Filho started dedicating himself to studying immune response mechanisms and the difference between self-antigens and non-self-antigens. He has contributed to helping to understand organ transplant-related rejection and tolerance mechanisms. He has also written about how microorganisms induce the breakdown of tolerance that leads to autoimmune diseases. Currently, he concentrates his efforts to developing advanced scientific vaccines for streptococcus, HIV, dengue fever and COVID-19.
The physician is a Full Professor of Clinical Immunology and Allergy at the University of São Paulo School of Medicine (FMUSP) and oversees the same department at the University of São Paulo Hospital (USP) Hospital das Clínicas university health complex. In addition, Dr. Kalil Filho serves as Head of the University of São Paulo Heart Institute (Incor), Director President of the Institute for Technological Research (ITpS), and Associate Professor at the U.S. universities of George Washington, D.C., and Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. He was further designated to represent Brazil at the UN International Conference on Chemical and Biochemical Engineering (ICCBE), and since 2001, is in charge of the iii INCT Institute for Research in Immunology.
Dr. Kalil Filho is also a Level 1A Researcher at the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), Co-director of the Federation of Clinical Immunology Societies (FOCIS) Center of Excellence in São Paulo and Member of the Scientific Platform Pasteur-USP (SPPU) Council. Furthermore, he is a Member of the U.S. government Data and Safety Management Board tasked with supervising COVID-19 vaccines in the United States.
The esteemed physician served as President of the University of São Paulo Heart Institute (Incor) from 2006 to 2008 and chaired the Zerbini Foundation Council from 2006-2017. He also held the position of Head of the Butantan Institute between 2011 and 2017 and President of the Butantan Foundation Council during the 2012-2015 period. From 2013 to 2016, in turn, Dr. Kalil Filho was elected President of the International Union of Immunological Societies (IUIS) and founded and served as the first President of the Brazilian Association of Organ Transplantation (ABTO). He also established and was the first Vice-President of the Latin American and Caribbean Association of Immunology (ALACI) and served as President of the Brazilian Society of Immunology (SBI).
The lauded physician additionally held several positions at the University of São Paulo (USP), namely its School of Medicine (FMUSP), serving as Head of the Department of Internal Medicine, Associate Clinical Director of its Hospital das Clínicas university complex, and President of the USP Research Ethics Committee (CAPPesq). He further presided over the 13th International Congress of Immunology in Rio de Janeiro in 2007 and joined the World Bank’s Program for the Scientific and Technological Development Support Programme (PADCT) as Coordinator of the Biotechnology Technical Group and also composed the institution’s Management Committee.
Furthermore, Dr. Kalil Filho was appointed as Coordinator of the Biomedicine Committee and occupied the same role at the CNPq-Pronex-led program for the Support for Excellence Centers, as well as Member of Finep’s, a state-run Brazilian organization that fosters science and technology throughout the county, Advisory Board. He also served as an advisor on immunobiologicals for Minister Adib Jatene during the 1993-1995 term and has composed the Brazilian Academy of Sciences since 1995.
Dr. Kalil Filho’s work and contributions to medicine have been acknowledged both in Brazil and abroad, leading to several honors and distinctions. He was decorated by the President of Brazil in the rank of Commander, and subsequently, with the National Order of Scientific Merit in the grade of Grand Cross. The President of France also recognized his remarkable efforts with a National Order of Merit in the rank of Knight. The physician was further bestowed the Brazilian Ministry of Defense-granted Medal of Legislative Merit and the Medal of Victory, as well as the Hospitalar award of “Physician of the Year.” Another great honor he received was that of “Immunologist of the Year” by the Brazilian Society of Immunology for his outstanding scientific contributions.
Dr. Kalil Filho was granted the honorary title of Doctor Honoris Causa both from Sorbonne University in Paris, France, and the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). Additionally, he was awarded the title of Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians London (FRCP) in England.
Among the numerous accolades and distinctions that the physician amassed in Brazil as well as overseas, some particularly worth mentioning include the World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) Award in the field of Biology in 2005 and the Conrado Wessel Foundation Award in Science and Culture. In 2022, he was voted to take on Chair Number 4 of the Lebanese Brazilian Academy of Literature, Arts and Sciences.
That same year, on November 3, 2022, Dr. Jorge Elias Kalil Filho was honored with a Full Member seat at the Academia Nacional de Medicina (National Academy of Medicine – ANM) after submitting a dissertation titled “Discovery and Non-Clinical Development of a Nasal Administration Vaccine, MultiCoVax, for COVID-19: A Control Strategy for Handling the Pandemic.” He was officially sworn in at the ANM on March 24, 2023, at which time he was welcomed by Academy Member Cláudio Tadeu Daniel-Ribeiro.
Academic number: 678
Chair: 89
Member: Holder
Section: Applied Medical Sciences
Election: 03/11/2022
Inauguration: 24/03/2023
President: Francisco José Barcellos Sampaio
Greeted by: Cláudio Tadeu Daniel-Ribeiro
Predecessor: Roberto Soares de Moura
Academic number: 678
Chair: 89
Member: Holder
Section: Applied Medical Sciences
Election: 03/11/2022
Inauguration: 24/03/2023
President: Francisco José Barcellos Sampaio
Greeted by: Cláudio Tadeu Daniel-Ribeiro
Predecessor: Roberto Soares de Moura
The son of the renowned pediatrician, Jorge Elias Kalil, and Dona Dalila de Freitas Kalil, Jorge Elias Kalil Filho was born on December 1st, 1953. Despite showing, from an early age, a keen interest in natural sciences, he decided to focus on medicine and graduated in 1977 from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). Later on, he completed a Master’s degree in Immunology and Immunogenetics, followed by a Ph.D. in Sciences from the Paris Diderot University in France in 1982.
Dr. Kalil Filho started dedicating himself to studying immune response mechanisms and the difference between self-antigens and non-self-antigens. He has contributed to helping to understand organ transplant-related rejection and tolerance mechanisms. He has also written about how microorganisms induce the breakdown of tolerance that leads to autoimmune diseases. Currently, he concentrates his efforts to developing advanced scientific vaccines for streptococcus, HIV, dengue fever and COVID-19.
The physician is a Full Professor of Clinical Immunology and Allergy at the University of São Paulo School of Medicine (FMUSP) and oversees the same department at the University of São Paulo Hospital (USP) Hospital das Clínicas university health complex. In addition, Dr. Kalil Filho serves as Head of the University of São Paulo Heart Institute (Incor), Director President of the Institute for Technological Research (ITpS), and Associate Professor at the U.S. universities of George Washington, D.C., and Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. He was further designated to represent Brazil at the UN International Conference on Chemical and Biochemical Engineering (ICCBE), and since 2001, is in charge of the iii INCT Institute for Research in Immunology.
Dr. Kalil Filho is also a Level 1A Researcher at the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), Co-director of the Federation of Clinical Immunology Societies (FOCIS) Center of Excellence in São Paulo and Member of the Scientific Platform Pasteur-USP (SPPU) Council. Furthermore, he is a Member of the U.S. government Data and Safety Management Board tasked with supervising COVID-19 vaccines in the United States.
The esteemed physician served as President of the University of São Paulo Heart Institute (Incor) from 2006 to 2008 and chaired the Zerbini Foundation Council from 2006-2017. He also held the position of Head of the Butantan Institute between 2011 and 2017 and President of the Butantan Foundation Council during the 2012-2015 period. From 2013 to 2016, in turn, Dr. Kalil Filho was elected President of the International Union of Immunological Societies (IUIS) and founded and served as the first President of the Brazilian Association of Organ Transplantation (ABTO). He also established and was the first Vice-President of the Latin American and Caribbean Association of Immunology (ALACI) and served as President of the Brazilian Society of Immunology (SBI).
The lauded physician additionally held several positions at the University of São Paulo (USP), namely its School of Medicine (FMUSP), serving as Head of the Department of Internal Medicine, Associate Clinical Director of its Hospital das Clínicas university complex, and President of the USP Research Ethics Committee (CAPPesq). He further presided over the 13th International Congress of Immunology in Rio de Janeiro in 2007 and joined the World Bank’s Program for the Scientific and Technological Development Support Programme (PADCT) as Coordinator of the Biotechnology Technical Group and also composed the institution’s Management Committee.
Furthermore, Dr. Kalil Filho was appointed as Coordinator of the Biomedicine Committee and occupied the same role at the CNPq-Pronex-led program for the Support for Excellence Centers, as well as Member of Finep’s, a state-run Brazilian organization that fosters science and technology throughout the county, Advisory Board. He also served as an advisor on immunobiologicals for Minister Adib Jatene during the 1993-1995 term and has composed the Brazilian Academy of Sciences since 1995.
Dr. Kalil Filho’s work and contributions to medicine have been acknowledged both in Brazil and abroad, leading to several honors and distinctions. He was decorated by the President of Brazil in the rank of Commander, and subsequently, with the National Order of Scientific Merit in the grade of Grand Cross. The President of France also recognized his remarkable efforts with a National Order of Merit in the rank of Knight. The physician was further bestowed the Brazilian Ministry of Defense-granted Medal of Legislative Merit and the Medal of Victory, as well as the Hospitalar award of “Physician of the Year.” Another great honor he received was that of “Immunologist of the Year” by the Brazilian Society of Immunology for his outstanding scientific contributions.
Dr. Kalil Filho was granted the honorary title of Doctor Honoris Causa both from Sorbonne University in Paris, France, and the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). Additionally, he was awarded the title of Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians London (FRCP) in England.
Among the numerous accolades and distinctions that the physician amassed in Brazil as well as overseas, some particularly worth mentioning include the World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) Award in the field of Biology in 2005 and the Conrado Wessel Foundation Award in Science and Culture. In 2022, he was voted to take on Chair Number 4 of the Lebanese Brazilian Academy of Literature, Arts and Sciences.
That same year, on November 3, 2022, Dr. Jorge Elias Kalil Filho was honored with a Full Member seat at the Academia Nacional de Medicina (National Academy of Medicine – ANM) after submitting a dissertation titled “Discovery and Non-Clinical Development of a Nasal Administration Vaccine, MultiCoVax, for COVID-19: A Control Strategy for Handling the Pandemic.” He was officially sworn in at the ANM on March 24, 2023, at which time he was welcomed by Academy Member Cláudio Tadeu Daniel-Ribeiro.