Michael Lederman, the Scott R. Inkley Professor of Medicine and co-director of the Center for AIDS Research, will present “An Update on the Search for an AIDS Vaccine” at the next Friday Public Affairs Discussion Group on Friday, Oct. 24, 12:30-1:30 p.m. in the Dampeer Room of Kelvin Smith Library.
In some ways, HIV infection is now a chronic disease. Given the right combination of anti-retroviral therapy, a person infected with HIV now may live a normal lifespan without the classic deadly illnesses associated with AIDS.
But at best, HIV infection is a very expensive chronic disease, one that can consume huge amounts of resources, especially relative to the budgets of poor countries. Moreover, even in rich countries, delivery of care is far from ideal and HIV infection still compromises immune systems, so there is a growing pattern of dangerous non-AIDS deaths. So finding a cure, or reliable prevention, remains a major medical priority.
Case Western Reserve and University Hospitals’ AIDS Clinical Trials Unit has received National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases funding since it began operating in 1987. In January it was awarded new funding for research both on vaccines and on microbicides—gels or foams that could disrupt the sexual transmission of HIV. Lederman will give a report on the prospects of some of the important work being done at CWRU.
Since 1989, faculty, emeriti, students and staff have gathered on Fridays for a brown-bag lunch and to discuss topics in public affairs.
For updates and more information about the Friday lunch schedule, visit fridaylunch.case.edu.