amfAR awards researchers exploring innovative HIV/AIDS solutions

amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research, has announced the 2016 recipients of the Mathilde Krim Fellowship in Basic Biomedical Research — an annual initiative that supports the next generation of scientists seeking new solutions to HIV/AIDS, according to a recent press release.

“This is an extremely impressive group of young scientists,” Rowena Johnston, PhD, amfAR vice president and director of research, said in the release. “Their varied backgrounds and collective talents are sure to invigorate the field of AIDS research, and I’ve no doubt each will make important contributions to the field as their careers evolve.”

Rowena Johnston

The six recipients — Amy Chung, PhD, of the University of Melbourne, Australia; Daniela Fera, PhD, of Boston Children’s Hospital; Marit van Gils, PhD, of the Academic Medical Center of the University of Amsterdam; Anand Pai, PhD, and Judd Hultquist, PhD, of the J. David Gladstone Institute in San Francisco; and Daniel Rosenbloom, PhD, of Colombia University — will each be awarded an estimated $150,000 over the course of 2 years for their research in vaccine development and targeting roadblocks to an HIV cure.

A leading nonprofit dedicated to supporting, preventing, treating and advocating for HIV/AIDS research, amfAR grants the Mathilde Krim Fellowships to encourage research and development and to support efforts of promising young scientists who have shown a commitment to HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, the release said. According to an amfAR representative, the grants are part of amfAR’s $100 million Countdown to a Cure, an initiative to discover the scientific basis for a cure for HIV/AIDS by 2020. —by Savannah Demko

Disclosure: Infectious Disease News was unable to confirm relevant financial disclosures at the time of publication.