Rome's La Sapienza University has awarded an honorary doctorate to Anthony Fauci, the US infectious diseases expert and covid advisor to President Biden. The recognition was given to the American immunologist for his "fundamental role" in the study of infectious and immune-mediated diseases.

La Sapienza said the honour was awarded "with particular regard to the first pioneering studies on HIV infections and the development of measures to contain transmission and effective therapies against AIDS." Participating via video link from Washington, Fauci received the honorary doctorate in Advances in infectious diseases, microbiology, legal medicine and public health sciences during a ceremony hosted by the university on 13 January.