Global Virus Network Adds University of Miami Center for AIDS Research as Newest Center of Excellence

Global Virus Network Adds University of Miami Center for AIDS Research as Newest Center of Excellence

Baltimore, November 17, 2015: The Global Virus Network (GVN), representing more than 25 countries and comprising foremost experts in every class of virus causing disease in humans, announced today the addition of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine AIDS Institute, led by Mario Stevenson, PhD as GVN’s newest Center of Excellence. The AIDS Institute at the University of Miami coordinates all AIDS research programs including the Miami CFAR is the first National Institutes of Health-funded Center for AIDS Research (CFAR). Florida has the highest number of diagnosed HIV infections and second in estimated AIDS diagnoses of children greater than 13 years of age living with a diagnosis of HIV or AIDS. The announcement was made by Robert Gallo, MD, GVN Co-Founder and International Scientific Advisor and  GVN President.

“The GVN Center Directors are delighted that the University of Miami Miller Medical School AIDS Institute will be joining GVN,” said Dr. Gallo, who is also Director of the Institute (IHV) of Human Virology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, a GVN Center of Excellence. “This new Institute adds an important region in the U.S. which we did not have previously, as it will link us to Latin American communities and Caribbean nations.” He continued, “Although it is relatively small in numbers, the quality of the science is at the highest level and is driven by their Director, Mario Stevenson, who is also a key member of the Scientific Advisory Board at IHV. Mario has contributed greatly to the field of HIV and their work in primate models is as good as it gets.”

Miami is an epicenter of the AIDS epidemic in the U.S. and, from a health care standpoint, is the gateway to the Caribbean and South America. The University resides in a geographic area that is disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS and is now amongst the first regions in the U.S. facing threats from emerging infectious diseases including Dengue and Chikungunya.

“The whole of the GVN benefits from inclusion of the Miami group given the strong ties between Miami and collaborators in key countries,” said the GVN President. “The coalition of 35 Centers of Excellence in the GVN became stronger with this important addition,” she added.

“We are honored to be a part of the Global Virus Network. The GVN comprises scientists with remarkable track records in virology research. We believe that the collaborative environment provided by this global enterprise will serve us well in our efforts to transform the lives of individuals afflicted by viruses such as HIV, Hepatitis C and Dengue”, said Dr. Stevenson, Professor in the Department of Medicine, Chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases, Director of the UM AIDS Institute and Co-Director of the Center for AIDS Research at the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine.