Strong gets $9 million for AIDS research

Strong physicians will receive $1.8 million this year and a total of approximately $9 million during the next five years to continue their studies into the basic biology of the AIDS virus and to explore new ways to treat the disease. Physicians and scientists at the Medical Center make up one of 32 AIDS clinical trials units across the country that together comprise a nationwide AIDS study network funded by NIH.

Strong's AIDS clinic is the largest in Upstate New York, treating and following about 800 patients. The Rochester effort is headed by Richard Reichman, chief of the Infectious Diseases Unit of the Department of Medicine.

"The major focus over the next five years will be to address the question of whether we might be able to totally eradicate the disease in patients. Can we actually cure AIDS?" asks Reichman. "While there are still some very serious issues to address, it's almost unbelievable that we now have a dozen drugs to treat a disease that we could do virtually nothing about 15 years ago."

Another Rochester physician, Lisa Demeter, associate professor of medicine, is chairperson of the national virology committee. She's working closely with physicians and scientists from 11 laboratories nationwide who specialize in learning how the virus attacks cells.

Strong also is helping to lead the national effort to prevent the disease altogether. The hospital is home to one of six AIDS vaccine evaluation units nationwide; three dozen studies investigating vaccines have been performed at the unit since it began in 1988. Under the direction of Michael Keefer, associate professor of medicine, Rochester claims the highest rate in the nation of people who have volunteered to take part in the search for an AIDS vaccine--more than 600. Volunteers at the center are taking part in the first large-scale efficacy study of an AIDS vaccine. In addition, the University is home to the first person in the world enrolled in a study sponsored by Merck & Co., Inc. that's looking at a new type of AIDS vaccine based on "naked DNA."

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