H A I spotlifall g ht 2011

Harvard School of Public Health AIDS Initiative

AIDS@30: An International Symposium In 1981, the Centers for Disease Control activism, philanthropy, and government AIDS@30 Sessions reported that five gay men in Los Angeles interventions. AIDS@30 will bring to- had become ill with a rare form of pneu- gether hundreds of scientists, advocates, • The Future of HIV monia. The report was the first official de- and political leaders to assess what we have Prevention scription of a syndrome that would later learned from AIDS and how to apply those be called AIDS. Three decades later, 30 lessons towards ending the epidemic. • International Mobilization million people have died from the virus. “Our hope for the symposium is to and National Leadership “Anniversaries compel us to reflect, to bring the vanguards of scientific think- • Global and Local Health take stock, to inquire about how we can ing, of public health implementation, better carry out our missions,” said Julio and of international leadership here to Disparities Frenk, Dean of the Harvard School of Pub- really plan the demise of this epidemic,” • Ending Pediatric AIDS lic Health. He and Dr. Richard Marlink, said Marlink. Executive Director of the Harvard AIDS The next issue of Spotlight will feature • The Future of HIV Initiative (HAI), are heading AIDS@30, highlights from AIDS@30. Treatment an international symposium in Boston in early December. • Is an HIV Vaccine Possible? The AIDS epidemic has spawned an • Funding the Global unprecedented global response, marked by groundbreaking scientific research, AIDS Response

PROFILE Kate Powis: Plan C Plan A Plan B

As a young adult, Kate Powis loved to She switched jobs to work at a distribu- solve puzzles. Her father was a Secret tion center. By the time she finished her Service agent and she planned to follow undergraduate degree at California State in his footsteps. She took college courses University, she was a district manager. in criminal justice, financing her educa- Kate moved to Virginia to work for tion by working as a “loss prevention” another department store chain. After a officer at a chain of department stores. few years, Circuit City approached her She questioned shoplifters and employ- to start a nationally chartered bank so ees caught stealing, but she didn’t en- the company could issue its own credit joy the work. She often found herself cards. Kate helped establish the bank in tears following an interrogation. “At while putting herself through an eve- the end of the day, I needed to be doing ning MBA program. something more positive,” she said. (continues on page 3) Leadership Acknowledged Though most of their work is done qui- be an effective partner with scientists in etly behind the scenes, Deeda Blair and seeking government and philanthropic Maurice Tempelsman have contributed support for research.” immensely to the growth and success of

Blair was responsible for introducing Steven Gilbert for HSPH the Harvard AIDS Initiative (HAI). To Dr. Max Essex, Chair of HAI, to Mau- publicly recognize their work, Julio Frenk, rice Tempelsman, who shared the Award Dean of the Harvard School of Public with her. Health (HSPH), presented them both with Tempelsman is Chair of HAI’s Interna- the Eighth Annual Volunteer Leadership tional Advisory Council, a position he has Award at a ceremony on October 20th. held since the Council’s inception in 1989. As Co-Chair of HAI’s International Ad- A businessman with an in-depth knowl- Dean Julio Frenk applauds Deeda Blair visory Committee, Deeda Blair has been a edge of Africa, he provided the initial fund- and Maurice Tempelsman vital part of HAI’s success in finding better ing for HAI’s work in at a time This year’s winner was Wen Xie, a student ways to treat and prevent HIV/AIDS. She when the NIH would not fund research in in the Biological Sciences in Public Health emphasizes “the conviction that there are Africa. He helped HAI forge connections Ph.D. program at HSPH. Her thesis will no barriers to discovery.” with African leaders, enabling research and focus on reprogramming HIV-positive Equally comfortable attending a scientific training collaborations to be established cells and the use of stem cells to repress vi- meeting, a fashion show, or a state dinner, in Senegal, Nigeria, and Tanza- ruses such as HIV. She is working with Dr. Blair has the ability to operate effectively nia. “Those programs,” said Frenk, “have Max Essex and Dr. Tun-Hou Lee at HAI, in many different realms. “Deeda brings yielded important new research results and in collaboration with a laboratory at Chil- together people, resources and ideas,” said have literally saved lives.” dren’s Hospital Boston. Frenk. “She asks tough questions and arms The Volunteer Leadership Award scholar To view a slide show of the event, visit herself with facts and statistics so she can recipient was also announced at the dinner. our website at www.aids.harvard.edu. KITSO Trains over 8,000 spotlight is published by the Harvard School of Public Health AIDS Initiative 651 Huntington Avenue, 6th Floor Boston, MA 02115 Phone: 617-432-6106 Email: [email protected] Web: www.aids.harvard.edu Much has changed in a decade. In 2001, fidence to provide ARV therapy and to Chair: Dr. Max Essex President Festus Mogae of Botswana iden- train other healthcare workers. KITSO- Executive Director: Dr. Richard Marlink tified the growing threat of HIV/AIDS as a trained staff now provide ARV therapy at Publications Staff Editor: Martha Henry national crisis and announced that his gov- 33 hospital sites and 137 satellite clinics Print & Web Designer: Kim Dostaler ernment would provide free antiretroviral throughout the country. Over 130,000 pa- Thanks to: Anne Hubbard, Christine Bussmann, (ARV) therapy to eligible patients. This tients are currently served in the national Rachel Bender Ignacia, Lendsey Melton, Iva Siler initiative, at the time without precedent ARV program. in Africa, posed significant challenges to The program has expanded, adapted, and Botswana’s already overburdened health- added new partners. To date, over 8,000 H A I care system, especially in terms of trained healthcare professionals have been trained HAI is dedicated to research and medical workers. Few doctors or nurses in KITSO’s basic course, AIDS Clinical education to end the AIDS epidemic had experience in HIV/AIDS treatment. Care Fundamentals. At the ten-year mark, in Africa and developing countries. That same year the KITSO AIDS Train- KITSO continues to provide high-quality For over two decades, HAI has been ing Program was established through a training to ensure the sustainability of at the forefront of HIV/AIDS labo- collaboration between the Botswana Min- Botswana’s HIV/AIDS care and treatment ratory research, clinical trials, educa- istry of Health and the Botswana Harvard programs. tion, and leadership. Partnership (BHP). Through KITSO KITSO is made possible through support Visit our website to make a donation. training, healthcare professionals in Bo- from the African Comprehensive HIV/ www.aids.harvard.edu tswana have gained the expertise and con- AIDS Partnerships (ACHAP). 2 Kate Powis (continued from page 1) The bank was enormously success- nesia for several months, helping to re- ful ahead of schedule. Kate, still in her establish the healthcare system after the 30s, became the bank’s vice-president, 2004 tsunami. It had been over a de- managing up to 1,500 people, flying on cade since Kate’s Jamaica decision, but private jets, and earning an impressive she had become the doctor she wanted salary. “My life was very different then,” to be. she said. She was awarded a Global Women’s She became active in a local church. Health Fellowship from Brigham and In 1991, she volunteered for a trip to Women’s Hospital (BWH). Her plan was Jamaica to help repair a hurricane-dam- to expand a training program for mid- aged church. Working in the rural vil- wives in Indonesia to help reduce moth- lage was her first close-up exposure to er and infant mortality. Kate bought Drs. Made Afata and Kate Powis at Scottish Livingston Hospital in Molepolole, Botswana poverty. “There was a little girl who had her plane ticket, but the week before broken her leg when she was two—a her departure, the project fell through. Kate earned a Masters of Public Health compound facture that was never set,” Dr. Paula Johnson, Chief of the from the Harvard School of Public Health said Kate. “She didn’t have access to Division of Women’s Health at BWH, in 2009. She now spends half the year healthcare and her leg was permanently remembered how Kate handled the at the Chelsea Urgent Care Clinic on the deformed because of it. She would nev- setback.“She immediately began look- outskirts of Boston and the other half in er walk right.” While pounding nails on ing for another opportunity. She didn’t Botswana. Her research focuses on how a rooftop in Jamaica, she had a life-alter- doubt that she would continue to move a mother’s HIV influences both ing moment. “I realized I could be doing her work forward.” the mother and child, even if the mother something better with my life than earn- does not transmit the virus to her child. At a colleague’s suggestion, she ing a profit,” she said. She decided to contacted Harvard AIDS Initiative (HAI) Nearly one third of all infants in Botswa- become a doctor. researcher Dr. Roger Shapiro, who was na are born to HIV-positive women but Plan C conducting a study in Botswana to de- remain uninfected because their moth- termine the best methods for preventing ers received antiretroviral drugs during She had none of the required pre-med pregnant women from passing HIV to pregnancy. The HIV-exposed infants courses. While continuing to work at their infants. He agreed to let Kate work have a two-fold higher risk of dying the bank, she took one course at a time, as a study physician. After she arrived compared to unexposed infants. The including physics and organic chemistry. in Botswana and her skills became ap- reasons are unclear. “Though it was a radical decision, it was parent, her role was expanded. “She’s a a slow transition,” she said, “but I never Kate and her colleagues at HAI are trying fast learner,” said Shapiro. “She lost focus on where I was headed.” to determine why HIV-exposed but un- understands every aspect of a trial— infected infants have a higher mortality To enhance her chances of getting into from the data needs to the larger public rate and are working to identify modifi- medical school, she became a certified health implications.” able risk factors that will save their lives. Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). “I come at medicine and research with a She spent one night a week riding in an Her research efforts are gaining at- much different perspective than some- ambulance, then went to work at the tention. Kate was just awarded a K23 one who came straight through as an bank in the morning. Career Development Award from the undergrad to medical school,” said Kate, National Institutes of Health to help sup- In 1999, at the age of 40, Kate was ac- referring to her business background. “I port her work for the next five years. “It cepted to the Medical College of Virgin- enjoy taking a process and figuring out was our lucky day when Kate joined the ia. After graduation, she did a combined how to improve it. And by improving it, Botswana–Harvard program,” said Dr. residency in internal medicine and pedi- I mean being able to measure that an Max Essex, Chair of HAI. “This is public atrics at Massachusetts General Hospital actual difference is being made.” health research at its best.” (MGH) in Boston. She worked in Indo-

3 Essex Receives Lifetime Achievement Award The Institute of Human (IHV) Dr. , Director of IHV Besides the actual award, Essex was pre- at the University of Maryland School of and best known for his co-discovery of sented with a baseball bat signed by mem- Medicine presented its Lifetime Achieve- HIV, described Essex as “a close confidant bers of the 2004 Boston Red Sox, who won ment Award for Scientific Contributions and collaborator much before and during the World Series after an 86-year period of to Dr. Max Essex, Chair of the Harvard those early years of AIDS. His contribu- failing to do so. Essex and Gallo have a AIDS Initiative (HAI), on November 1st. tions to science are invaluable.” long history of baseball banter. Essex received the award “for his work on At the evening ceremony, Dr. Phyllis animal and human research and Kanki, who leads HAI’s efforts in Nigeria, his leadership and great impact in the pub- outlined Essex’s major scientific achieve- lic health of Botswana.” At the same cer- ments. She described his early work in fe- emony, the Lifetime Achievement Award line leukemia, his seminal discovery of the for Public Service was given posthumously envelope proteins of HIV, up through his to Dr. Bernadine Healy, the first female di- current research in HIV/AIDS treatment rector of the National Institutes of Health. and prevention in Africa. Dr. Robert Gallo presents the IHV Lifetime Achievement Award to Dr. Max Essex

In this issue

Scientists and policy makers engage for AIDS@30; Former banker becomes AIDS doctor; Harvard honors Blair and Tempelsman; KITSO trains over 8,000 African healthcare workers; Essex receives Lifetime Achievement Award.

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