OAR Director Dr. William Paul to Leave Office of AIDS Research and Return to Laboratory Science

William Paul, M.D., the director of the Office of AIDS Research (OAR), a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has announced that he will leave the OAR. He has directed OAR since February, 1994. Dr. Paul, an immunologist who also heads the Laboratory of Immunology at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, will return full-time to his lab, redirecting his scientific efforts to searching for a safe and effective HIV vaccine and for new approaches to vaccine development in general.

In announcing his move, Dr. Paul said, "It has been an honor and a challenge to lead the NIH AIDS research effort at a time at which real progress in AIDS research and treatment have been made. My departure must not be interpreted to indicate that I believe the OAR's work is done or that its mandate is any less important. In fact, it is quite the contrary. Formidable obstacles lie ahead, not only for my successor, but for all of us dedicated to finding solutions to the challenge posed by HIV. We must find better modalities of treatment and develop strategies to avoid drug-resistance. We must find solutions, both in the form of therapies and prevention methods, that will be useful and available to everyone, including those in developing nations. Above all, we must find a preventive vaccine."

NIH Director Harold Varmus, M.D., said, "Dr. Paul has provided exemplary scientific leadership for the NIH AIDS research programs, reinvigorating this effort and redirecting resources to catalyze scientific opportunities. Now, as he returns full-time to the laboratory to pursue vitally important research in immunology and in vaccine development work, we will continue to benefit from his scientific expertise and enthusiasm."

The OAR, which is located within the Office of the Director of NIH, is responsible for the scientific, budgetary, legislative, and policy elements of the NIH AIDS research program, as well as the promotion of collaborative research activities in domestic and international settings. During his tenure, Dr. Paul has guided the OAR in its efforts to reexamine AIDS research priorities and to set a new AIDS research agenda:

OAR conducted the first comprehensive evaluation of the NIH AIDS research program to determine whether it is appropriately designed and coordinated to answer the critical scientific questions that will lead to better treatments, prevention, and a cure for AIDS. The final report, known as the "Levine Report," provides a blueprint for restructuring the NIH AIDS research program to streamline research, strengthen high-quality programs, eliminate inadequate programs, and ensure that the American people reap the full benefits of their substantial investment in AIDS research.

The OAR has made vaccine development a high priority, restructuring and revitalizing the program, and providing increased resources. The recruitment of Dr. David Baltimore to serve as Chair of the AIDS Vaccine Research Committee fulfilled a key recommendation of the Levine Report. In addition, it is estimated that the total NIH funds available for vaccine research have increased by more than 40 percent over the last two years.

The OAR has emphasized funding for research on basic aspects of HIV, on the immune system, and on the mechanisms of disease, with greater reliance placed on investigator-initiated science. Between fiscal years 1994 and 1998, the number of research grants funded by the NIH is estimated to increase by 50 percent. This has encouraged innovation from a wider group of investigators and has resulted in great progress toward the development of better treatments and the provision of the basic information necessary for vaccine development.

The OAR has developed a Prevention Science Agenda, as recommended by the Levine Report, which combines research on behavioral interventions with biomedical modalities such as topical microbicides, female-controlled barriers, methods to prevent mother-to-child transmission, and prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases.

A search committee for a new director for the OAR is being established. The Office will continue in its work to find solutions to the challenges posed by HIV. The NIH remains dedicated to the goal of preventing and curing AIDS.