SEATTLE (27 February 2002) — Population Council scientist Melissa Pope, Ph.D. is one of three researchers who were honored today by the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. Pope is working on strategies to enhance dendritic cell function to boost oral vaccine efficiency, a critical step in preventing infection with HIV and other pathogens in children.
Each Elizabeth Glaser Scientist will receive approximately $700,000 for five years of research.
Pope, an immunologist who explores the function of specialized immune cells known as dendritic cells, works at the Population Council's Center for Biomedical Research. Her research has been instrumental in understanding the role that dendritic cells play in HIV infection, and her work has contributed to one of the major accepted theories for the mechanism of sexual transmission of HIV. Ultimately, dendritic cells may serve as targets for microbicides that can block mucosal transmission of HIV.
Dendritic cells, which are found within the body's mucosal surfaces, are among the first cells to encounter incoming pathogens. Pope's research has shown that dendritic cells, in particular, can promote viral replication and growth; when they encounter HIV, dendritic cells transmit the virus to T-cells (immune system cells that participate in a variety of cell-mediated immune reactions) and compromise the body's immune response.
Other 2002 Elizabeth Glaser Scientists are:
- Spyros A. Kalams, M.D., Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School. Kalams is studying the generation of HIV-specific T cell repertoire and assessing the functional avidity of T cells in infected infants and children.
- Jeffrey Stringer, M.D., Assistant Professor, University of Alabama/ University of Lusaka, Zambia. Stringer is helping to determine the optimal use of the antiviral medication nevirapine to prevent the transmission of HIV from an infected mother to her infant.
The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation is the leading worldwide nonprofit organization dedicated to identifying, funding, and conducting pediatric HIV/AIDS research as well as promoting global education, awareness and compassion about HIV/AIDS in children.
The Population Council is an international, nonprofit, nongovernmental research organization that seeks to improve the well-being and reproductive health of current and future generations around the world and to help achieve a humane, equitable, and sustainable balance between people and resources. The Council conducts biomedical, social science, and public health research and helps build research capacities in developing countries. Established in 1952, the Council is governed by an international board of trustees. Its New York headquarters supports a global network of regional and country offices. ### Media contacts
Melissa May, APR: mmay@popcouncil.org +1 212 339 0525
Diane Rubino: drubino@popcouncil.org +1 212 339 0617 |
This page updated
19 October 2007
