Award Recipients
2007 Award Recipients
Award Announcement: http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/nov2007/od-29.htm.
Daniel Douek, M.D., Ph.D. and Richard Koup, M.D., of the Dale and Betty Bumpers Vaccine Research Center of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases — a joint award for their original scientific research that significantly contributed to determining the mechanisms that control HIV pathogenesis and immune reconstitution. Their landmark findings have led the field in understanding the role of HIV-specific T cells in the control of HIV infection and helped to establish the immunological basis for the future development of an AIDS vaccine.
Kenneth Bridbord, M.D., M.P.H., of the Fogarty International Center — for his efforts to develop innovative programs to build a cadre of international research scientists and clinicians trained to join the global fight against the AIDS pandemic. These programs have played a significant role in building research infrastructure and capacity for the conduct of basic and clinical biomedical and behavioral AIDS research in more than 100 nations around the world.
2006 Award Recipients
Award Announcement: http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/dec2006/od-01.htm.
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.