Advances in AIDS Pathogenesis and Preclinical Vaccine Development

National Institute of Allergy and, Infectious DiseasesFOR RELEASE, Tuesday, Apr. 29, 1997, Laurie K. Doepel, ldoepel@nih.gov

Many countries have joined the desperate cry for an AIDS vaccine. What is the current state of research? NIAID invites you to find out at the largest national meeting focused exclusively on AIDS vaccine research.

This year, the emphasis will be on immune responses to and protection against HIV. Topics include pathogenic events in acute infection and predictors of disease progression; HIV transmission studies; mucosal immunity; DNA and other novel vaccine designs; studies in primates; and Phase I human trials.

Midday briefings for science writers will highlight important topics of discussion at the meeting (see attached schedule). NIAID staff also will present a special introductory level overview of vaccine immunology and HIV virology and question-and-answer opportunity Monday morning. All scientific sessions of the meeting are open to registered members of the press.

For more information, call Laurie Doepel in NIAIDs Office of Communications at 301-402-1663.

When: Sunday through Wednesday, May 4-7, 1997

Where: The Natcher Conference Center 45 Center Drive National Institutes of Health (NIH) Bethesda, Md. (As parking is very limited, we encourage you to take the Metro Red Line to the Medical Center stop, which is on the NIH campus)

Sponsors: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Department of Defense Fogarty International Center, NIH Food and Drug Administration Office of AIDS Research, NIH

Science Writers Briefings: Advances in AIDS Pathogenesis and Preclinical Vaccine Development May 4-7, 1997 Natcher Conference Center, National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Meeting Sponsors: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Office of AIDS Research, NIH Science Writers Briefings Schedule, May 5-7 Special Presentation: Monday, May 5, 10:30-11:15 a.m. Mary Allen, Division of AIDS (DAIDS), NIAID Introduction to vaccine immunology and HIV virology. (Room C1) All other briefings will be held from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., Monday through Wednesday, in Room C1 of the Natcher Conference Center. Each speaker will make a brief presentation followed by a question-and-answer session. Monday, May 5 Dr. Kent Weinhold, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, N.C. AIDS Vaccine Evaluation Group vaccine trials: immunology lessons.

Dr. Connie Celum, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, and Dr. Haynes Sheppard, California Department of Health, Berkeley, Calif. Study of acute infection in HIV-infected participants in the HIVNET study: implications for HIV vaccine development. Tuesday, May 6 Dr. Larry Arthur, National Cancer Institute, NIH DNA vaccines and other novel HIV vaccine designs.

Dr. Patricia Fast, DAIDS, NIAID, NIH Overall NIAID HIV vaccine research strategy and vaccines in the pipeline. Wednesday, May 7 Dr. Opendra Narayan, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Mo. Development and studies of a pathogenic SHIV in macaques.

Dr. Carl Dieffenbach, DAIDS, NIAID, NIH HIV pathogenesis research: lessons for HIV vaccine design.

NIAID is a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). NIAID conducts and supports research to prevent, diagnose and treat illnesses such as HIV disease and other sexually transmitted diseases, tuberculosis, asthma and allergies. NIH is an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

NIAID press releases, fact sheets and other materials are available on the Internet via the NIAID home page at http://www.niaid.nih.gov.