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NIH
Announces First World AIDS Day Awards
This year, the Office of AIDS Research (OAR) and the National
Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) sponsored
a novel employee recognition award, the NIH World AIDS
Day Awards. The awards will be given each year to NIH
scientists and managers who have made exceptional contributions
to the AIDS research efforts at NIH--either for original
scientific research or for programmatic support for research.
After a highly competitive process, the following individuals
received this prestigious new NIH award:
-
Edward Berger, Ph.D., of NIAID--for
his outstanding achievements, groundbreaking discoveries
and innovative and original scientific contributions
that have advanced AIDS research. Dr. Berger published
a landmark paper using a novel method to discover the
first HIV coreceptor [cell surface protein HIV needs,
in addition to its primary receptor, to connect to
and infect immune cells] (fusin, renamed CXCR4),
which directly led his and other groups to identify
CCR5 as the other major coreceptor. These studies
provided entirely new perspectives for understanding
how HIV evolves within the body during initial virus
transmission, asymptomatic infection and disease
progression. The findings continue to be translated
into the development of new antiretroviral drugs
to treat HIV-infected people, as well as new strategies
for designing vaccines and microbicides to prevent
infection.
- A joint
award to Robert Yarchoan, M.D. and Hiroaki Mitsuya, M.D.,
Ph.D. of the National Cancer Institute--for their individual
and combined achievements, groundbreaking discoveries
and innovative and original scientific contributions
that have significantly advanced HIV treatment research.
Their landmark clinical studies, demonstrating that AZT
could result in partial restoration of the immune response
and temporary clinical benefit, established the first
treatment for HIV infection and launched the era of effective
therapy for HIV/AIDS. Their work significantly advanced
this field, directly impacting on the development of
new and better strategies to prevent and treat HIV disease
in this country and around the world.
- Lynne Mofenson, M.D., of the National Institute of Child
Health and Human Development--in recognition of her outstanding
contributions supporting HIV/AIDS research and programs.
Dr. Mofenson's dedication and unprecedented efforts significantly
contributed to the development of safe and effective
treatments for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission
of HIV and the treatment of maternal and pediatric
AIDS in this country and around the world.
"These awards demonstrate the NIH commitment to supporting a multifaceted
research effort in HIV/AIDS, with the goal of fostering the best minds to work
together to develop new medical tools to stop the devastating effects of the
disease around the world," says Jack Whitescarver,
Ph.D., NIH Associate Director for AIDS Research and Director
of the OAR.
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2006 NIH World AIDS
Day Awards Nomination Form
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Announcement
of the Establishment of
the First NIH World AIDS Day Awards, 2006
We are pleased to announce
a new employee recognition award, the NIH World AIDS
Day Award, sponsored by the Office of AIDS Research
and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious
Diseases. Beginning in 2006, the award, including
a $2,500 cash prize, will be given each year to two
individuals who have made exceptional contributions
to the HIV/AIDS research efforts at NIH in the following
areas:
- Award
for original scientific research: to recognize
an individual’s outstanding recent achievements
in HIV/AIDS research; and
- Award
for contributions supporting HIV/AIDS research
and
programs: to recognize types of activities
including, but not limited to, the administration
of scientific programs, communication related
to NIH programs, community outreach, clinical
care or social work.
Please
contact Dr. Robert Eisinger, Award Administrator,
in the Office of AIDS Research, if you have any questions
about the NIH World AIDS Day Awards.
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