Volume IV, Number 1 Sabin Vaccine June 2001 EPORT The newsletter of the Albert B. Sabin Institute —dedicatedR to disease prevention www.sabin.org Walker’s Cay Colloquium Catalyzes Work on Cancer Vaccines and Immunotherapy 3rd Annual Sabin Institute-Sponsored Meeting Convened in March at Walker’s Cay, Abaco, Bahamas Thirty of the world’s leading cancer of the colloquium, said the meeting “was notherapy to learn from each other and vaccine scientists spent three days in a great success since it provided an ex- to discuss issues that are critical for the intense, unusually open discussions of cellent opportunity for top scientists in improvement of cancer treatments.” Jef- their newest research data and ideas at the field of tumor vaccines and immu- frey Schlom, head of the Laboratory of the Sabin Vaccine Institute’s Tumor Immunology and Biology Third Annual Walker’s Cay Col- at the National Cancer Institute loquium on Cancer Vaccines in also served as co-chair. The March. Their goal was to accel- Walker’s Cay Colloquium follows erate progress toward develop- a peer review format; emphasiz- ment of vaccines to treat and pre- ing an unusually open discussion vent various forms of cancer. of ideas and data so new they have Most of the renowned scientists not yet been published. It is reported learning new informa- multidisciplinary, involving ex- tion that will speed their own re- perts in oncology, immunology, search. Several said they formed microbiology, biochemistry, he- new, multi-institution collabora- matology and several other fields. tions at the meeting. It differs from most scientific Ralph A. Reisfeld, professor at meetings of large numbers of The Scripps Research Institute in Thirty leading cancer vaccine scientists exchanged their latest ideas people in a single discipline who La Jolla, California, and co-chair and data at Walker’s Cay. A list of attendees is provided on page 11. Continued on page 11. Don L. Douglas Named President and Chief Executive of the Sabin Vaccine Institute New President Will Draw Upon Immunization Program Leadership Experience to Increase Institute’s Impact The Albert B. Sabin velopment of successful Health (PATH) where he served in sev- Vaccine Institute has immunization programs,” eral positions for 16 years, most recently named Don L. Douglas as Shepherd said. “He was as country director and Asia regional its new president and selected following an ex- Continued on page 3. chief executive. Douglas tensive search. The Board joins Sabin as the scope is confident we have cho- I nside of the Institute’s pro- sen the right person to keep Viewpoint: The Other Hainan ......................2 grams and its influence Sabin on its upward trajec- Robbins Awarded Sabin Gold Medal ...........4 on public progress and tory of stimulating devel- Bertrand and Rowe To Receive Sabin scientific research are opment of new vaccines Lifetime Achievement Awards ..................6 growing. His appoint- and increasing immuniza- Report onVaccine Research Conference ......7 ment was announced by Don L. Douglas will serve as tion rates. His extensive in- Vaccine Diplomacy: Sabin & Smorodintsev ..8 Institute founder and Institute President and CEO. ternational experience en- Book Review: Evolution of Infectious Disease by Paul Ewald ..........................10 chairman H. R. “Shep” Shepherd. hances the Institute’s ability to catalyze Conquering Polio ......................................12 “Don Douglas brings to the Sabin global disease prevention efforts.” Sabin Institute News ..................................15 Vaccine Institute a wealth of experience Douglas comes to Sabin from the Pro- Calendar ...................................................16 in organizational leadership and the de- gram for Appropriate Technology in 2 JUNE 2001 SABIN VACCINE REPORT The Sabin Vaccine Report VIEW is published by the POINT Albert B. Sabin Vaccine Institute. The Other Hainan Subscriptions are free Please direct inquiries to: Hainan Is Home to the Highest Concentration of Endemic Tropical Diseases in China (This opinion originally appeared in The Advocate, a Stamford, Connecticut newspaper.) SABIN VACCINE REPORT 58 Pine Street The collision at the end of March be- to examine the impact of intestinal para- New Canaan, CT 06840 tween a Chinese F-8 fighter and an sites on the populations of southern phone: 203.972.7907 American Navy EP-3 electronic recon- China, especially Hainan. Our work fax: 203.966.4763 naissance plane over the tropical island there is being conducted jointly with the email: [email protected] of Hainan threatens to cast a Cold War- Institute of Parasitic Diseases of the EDITOR style shadow over diplomatic relations Chinese Academy of Preventive Medi- Veronica Korn between China and the Bush adminis- cine. In an unusually close cooperative COPY EDITOR tration. Yet most Americans may not ap- effort we are learning why some people David Bedell preciate that Hainan is also one of living in Hainan might be resistant to PRODUCTION China’s poorest provinces and among these parasites. We are using the infor- Raymond A. MacDougall the most destitute regions in Southeast mation to design a novel vaccine in or- Asia. The province is heavily plagued der to combat parasitic worms. In at least CONTRIBUTORS Jacques-François Martin by a variety of tropical infectious dis- one instance our project took us to Edward S. Neiss, MD, PhD eases ranging from malaria to mosquito- Lingshui county—not too far away from Alexander A. Smorodintsev, MD, PhD borne viruses. Our medical parasitology where the disabled EP-3 aircraft sits on SABIN INSTITUTE STAFF research laboratory has worked in the tarmac. The work is hard and diffi- H. R. Shepherd, Chairman Hainan since 1998 when we first real- cult; it has required lots of mutual give William R. Berkley, Co-Chairman ized that there are more intestinal para- and take on both sides. One of the many Don L. Douglas, President & CEO sites in Hainan than just about anywhere benefits of the collaboration is its re- Fran G. Sonkin, Executive Vice else on the planet. Based on diagnostic quirement for regular scientific ex- President examinations conducted on thousands of changes to each country. Over the last John M. Clymer, Vice President of Hainan residents during a medical sur- few years we have built a strong scien- External Affairs vey of the island in the early 1990s, the tific collaboration and close friendship. Philip K. Russell, MD, Senior Advisor Chinese Ministry of Health reported that Enormous good will has developed to the Chairman Peter J. Hotez, MD, PhD, Senior 94 percent of the population harbors at between the members of my laboratory Fellow & Chair, Scientific Advisory least one intestinal parasite. This in- and our Chinese friends and colleagues Council cludes more than 60 percent of the popu- during the last few years. We are driven William Muraskin, PhD, Sabin Fellow lation infected with parasitic worms, and touched by the enormous burden of Patricia Thomas, Sabin Fellow including Ascaris roundworms, Trichu- disease that the people of Hainan face Paul J. Vilk, RPh, RAC, Director of ris whipworms and Necator hookworms. on a daily basis. We also recognize that Program Management and In many cases, it is common to find resi- infectious diseases are potential threats Regulatory Affairs, Hookworm dents of Hainan who harbor all three to everyone, even in the U.S. The events Vaccine Initiative examples of this “unholy trinity.” All of the last few days should not distract Nancy Gardner Hargrave, too frequently children are the ones most us from the fact that we have much in Development Counsel Veronica Korn, Research Associate heavily infected. As a consequence they common with the Chinese, and much to Vanessa Santiago, Research Assistant suffer from malnutrition, physical gain by continued peaceful and mean- David Bedell, Executive Assistant to growth stunting, and intellectual retar- ingful cooperation. We have learned that the Chairman dation. In many cases, the children of an anti-worm vaccine makes for a ter- Gboku Lumbila, Executive Assistant, Hainan may experience life-threatening rific instrument of diplomacy. Hookworm Vaccine Initiative acute intestinal obstruction or perforation —by Peter J. Hotez, MD, PhD, FAAP Serge Valcourt, Accounting that result from the activities of large Christel Lane, Receptionist/Staff numbers of these worms. Peter J. Hotez, MD, PhD is professor and chair of the Department of Microbiology and Tropical Medi- Assistant In order to help alleviate the enormous cine, The George Washington University, and senior burden of disease in Hainan, our Na- fellow of the Albert Sabin Vaccine Institute. He is tional Institutes of Health, as well as the also visiting professor of the Institute of Parasitic March of Dimes Birth Defects Founda- Diseases of the Chinese Academy of Preventive Medi- tion is sponsoring joint research projects cine in Shanghai. dedicated to disease prevention www.sabin.org 3 This is truly an exciting time for the tion of new vaccines within the Ex- science of vaccine development. In the panded Programme on Immunizations A Letter from coming years, we can anticipate the in- system, and on solving logistical, eco- troduction of a number of new and im- nomic and management obstacles that the President proved vaccines that have the potential hindered the effective delivery of im- It is indeed a pleasure to be joining to further reduce the tragic and unnec- munization and other public health ser- the Albert B. Sabin Vaccine Institute. essary disease and death associated with vices. The Sabin name has had a special sig- vaccine-preventable diseases, and to I look forward to working on the nificance for me since 1964 when my dramatically improve the quality of life other end of the immunization spec- grade school in a small town in South worldwide. trum at the Sabin Institute—advanc- Florida hosted the entire community I come to the Sabin Vaccine Institute ing vaccine development, influencing to receive Dr. Sabin’s oral polio vac- having worked in public health for the vaccine-related policy, and promoting cine.