John R. La Montagne, Ph.D.
Director, DMID, NIAID
Dr. John R. La Montagne, Ph.D., Director of the Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (DMID), welcomed the Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Subcommittee of the National Advisory Allergy and Infectious Diseases Council and provided a brief report of Division activities. He thanked the ad hoc Subcommittee members Drs. Richard Whitley and Anne Gershon, and welcomed two new Subcommittee members, Dr. Robert Couch and Mr. Stephan Lawton. He also noted personnel and organizational changes since the last meeting.
Dr. La Montagne briefly discussed two DMID issues Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director, NIAID, had highlighted during the open session of Council: malaria and emerging diseases. Dr. La Montagne summarized the recent malaria research meeting in Dakar. He identified a number of initiatives that meeting participants intend to pursue, including the establishment of collaborative research networks; enhanced Internet communications in Africa; and a proposal by NIH Director Harold Varmus that the meeting’s sponsors establish a "Multilateral Initiative on Malaria" to advance future efforts. A follow-up meeting is being planned for the summer of 1997.
Dr. La Montagne also acknowledged that emerging diseases continues to be a very active issue for DMID. Recently, NIAID received $3 million from the NIH Director’s reserve fund to expand emerging infectious disease research efforts. Dr. La Montagne also mentioned the U.S.-Japan Cooperative Medical Sciences Program conference held in Kyoto last July, which focused on emerging disease issues, and noted that a follow-up conference to expand discussion of these issues is planned for early March, 1997.
Dr. Ann Ginsberg provided a summary of the recent Tuberculosis (TB) Program Review. Dr. Ginsberg noted that the Institute sharply increased support for TB research during the past several years, which made it possible to fund a number of specialized TB initiatives. However, many of these initiatives will expire in the near future and therefore the Division sought the advice of outside scientific experts to help chart the course for future Institute TB research activities. Dr. Ginsberg noted the recommendations developed by the panel of experts. Dr. Couch, who chaired the panel, commented on the process as well. Dr. Ginsberg noted that the Institute had already started to respond to the recommendations, some of which are addressed by the three TB concept reviews presented (summarized below).
Dr. Dennis Lang provided a brief overview of enterohemmorhagic E. coli (EHEC), which has received considerable attention due to a number of recent outbreaks in both the U.S. and Japan. Dr. Lang briefly summarized a meeting that took place last November in Japan at which U.S. and Japanese scientists discussed how their cooperative efforts might address this emerging health problem.
Dr. Catherine Laughlin updated the Subcommittee on the Institute’s collaborative efforts with the Department of Defense to develop drugs effective against the Ebola virus.
Three branches, the Clinical and Regulatory Affairs Branch, the Sexually Transmitted Diseases Branch, and the Virology Branch, presented information about their respective structures and research activities, and solicited comments from the Subcommittee on their stated goals and future directions. Ms. Martha Mattheis provided an overview of the Clinical and Regulatory Affairs Branch (CRAB) and Dr. Regina Rabinovich described the research activities of the Clinical Study Section, which is a component of CRAB.
Dr. Penelope Hitchcock presented the Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) Branch storyboard, providing current STD epidemiologic data and summarizing research activities managed by the Branch. Dr. Hitchcock noted that the STD Branch would undergo a programmatic review, much like the recent TB Program review, later this year. Dr. Catherine Laughlin presented an overview of the different research programs that comprise the Virology Branch.
Concept Review: Adolescents and Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) Cooperative Research Center (CRC) (STDB)
The purpose of this initiative is to develop a systematic approach to assessing biological and behavioral factors that determine susceptibility to STDs during adolescence and develop effective tools and subsequently develop behavioral and biomedical interventions to control STDs in this high risk population.
Concept Review: Basic Biology, Immunology and Pathogenesis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection (RDB)
The purpose of this Announcement is to alert the extramural research community that research in the basic biology of M.tb and the immunology and pathogenesis of the host-pathogen interaction is an area of need and importance to the mission of the Tuberculosis Program, Respiratory Diseases Branch, DMID, NIAID.
Concept Review: Evaluation of Vaccines in the Elderly (CRAB)
The purpose of this initiative is to advance the scientific understanding of the immunobiology of aging and to assure that older adults and the elderly receive the full benefits of immunization by evaluating existing and novel vaccines and therapeutics for infectious diseases which contribute substantial morbidity and mortality to this population.
Concept Review: Therapeutic Strategies for Papillomavirus Infections (VB)
This initiative will integrate in vitro and animal model evaluations of efficacy and studies of the mechanism of action of experimental therapies for papillomavirus infections. The parallel use of animal model and in vitro systems will facilitate studies of the mechanisms of action of any active agent.
Concept Review: Innovative Approaches to Investigating Human Tuberculosis (RDB)
The purpose of this Announcement is to alert the extramural research community that research addressed specifically to increasing our understanding of human infection by Mycobacterium tuberculosis is an area of need and importance to the mission of the Tuberculosis Program, Respiratory Diseases Branch, DMID, NIAID.
Concept Review: The Latent State in Tuberculosis Infection (RDB)
The purpose of this announcement is to alert the extramural research community to an area of need and importance to the mission of the Tuberculosis Program, Respiratory Diseases Branch, DMID, NIAID.
Concept Review: Repository for Biological Reagents and Reference Standards (VB)
1) To maintain and operate a suitable facility for the storage and distribution of a variety of biological reference reagents that are of importance to NIAID and to the infectious diseases research community. 2) To maintain a database system to manage an inventory and track the distribution of these reagents. 3) To continue to accept medically important archival materials for storage, and to expand the current inventory to include new state-of-the-art products for distribution. 4) To offer scientific support services related to the existing and future inventory, including: monoclonal antibody production, quality control testing, and aliquoting of new products.
Concept Review: Research on Molecular Immunology of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDB)
This project will support multidisciplinary research on the molecular immunology of STDs.
Concept Review: In Vitro Antiviral Screens (VB)
This project will provide cell culture-based systems to evaluate compounds for their in vitro biological specificity in antiviral activity and cytotoxicity.
Concept Review: Research on Topical Microbicides (STDB)
The initiative will continue support for basic research, product development and clinical evaluation of topical microbicides by expansion of existing awards. The initiative focuses on critical gaps in NIAID’s trans-divisional program. back to top |