Press Release

AVAC Applauds the Selection of Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo as New Director of NIAID  

Wednesday, August 2, 2023 

AVAC enthusiastically applauds the selection of Jeanne Marrazzo, MD, to serve as the new director of the NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and infectious Disease (NIAID). Dr. Marrazzo brings unparalleled leadership and research expertise to this pivotal role at NIAID, which oversees some of the largest investments to advance research on HIV and sexually transmitted infections in the world, at such a critical moment in global health science and politics. 

“Jeanne has been a pioneer in both HIV prevention and STI research and advocacy for many years. This news of her selection as NIAID Director just does not get any better,” said Mitchell Warren, AVAC’s Executive Director. “Given her distinguished career, NIAID’s selection signals a commitment to pursuing a research agenda that is aimed squarely at defeating HIV while safeguarding principles that advance global health equity. Moreover, her appointment reflects the important intersection of science, policy, communications and advocacy that has defined her career thus far.” 

“Perhaps most importantly, her longtime championship of community engagement and person-centered research provides a fantastic foundation for this role,” said Manju Chatani-Gada, AVAC’s Director for Partnerships & Capacity Strengthening. “She has always been accessible and provided time, mentorship and support to civil society advocates in breaking down and interpreting science. Ultimately, it is not just what science gets supported at NIAID, but how the science happens and how it is communicated, and Jeanne is the right leader at the right time to build on Dr. Fauci’s legacy.” 

Dr. Marrazzo’s research included landmark investigations of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for cisgender women as well as discovery and implementation science research focused on complex issues including hormonal contraception and HIV, antimicrobial resistance in gonorrhea, and other efforts especially as they effect women’s health and livelihoods and exacerbate the impact of infectious diseases. She provided pioneering leadership of the Microbicide Trials Network’s groundbreaking Vaginal and Oral Interventions to Control the Epidemic (VOICE) study, one of the most complex HIV prevention studies ever designed and conducted. 

“Jeanne is a remarkable physician, researcher and advocate. We are so optimistic about her ability to connect the dots—between HIV prevention, sexual and reproductive health, and pandemic preparedness, and help solve for the threats of disparities in access, stigma, discrimination and criminalization of key populations,” Warren added.  

Dr. Marrazzo will be the first new director of NIAID in nearly 40 years and the first woman in this position. She will also be the first openly gay director of any institute at the NIH. The position was held by Dr. Anthony Fauci, whose vision, passion and commitment to ending the AIDS epidemic and advancing global health research has been an inspiration to AVAC and to so many. Dr. Marrazzo is expected to assume the post as NIAID Director later this year. 

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About AVAC: AVAC is an international non-profit organization that leverages its independent voice and global partnerships to accelerate ethical development and equitable delivery of effective HIV prevention options, as part of a comprehensive and integrated pathway to global health equity. Follow AVAC on Twitter @HIVpxresearch; find more at www.avac.org and www.prepwatch.org.

IAS Science 2023 Conference: What you need to know

The 12th annual conference of the International AIDS Society (IAS) on HIV science takes place July 23–26 in Brisbane, Australia, and virtually. This year’s conference will offer the latest on vaccine and cure science, research updates on broadly neutralizing antibodies, important discussions on trial design in the era of PrEP, the potential of community-led models of care and the importance of integrating services for HIV and sexual and reproductive health (SRH). AVAC and partners will be there! Read on for an overview.

Just ahead of the conference, UNAIDS released their annual state of the epidemic report, The Path that Ends AIDS. The report charts a path that can end AIDS, and documents important progress, but challenges remain. Among them, global resources for HIV are marking another year of decline. With anti-LGTBQIA+ legal actions increasing in the US and in several African countries and reduced resources, efforts to end the epidemic will fail. See AVAC’s new graphic on the issue.

title card with presentation info

IAS Resources

  • Use AVAC’s Roadmap to find sessions where prevention, pandemic preparedness and the larger issues of global health equity are in the spotlight. You can download it as a sortable spreadsheet or PDF.
  • Follow events in real time, AVAC will offer comments and updates on Twitter, and our friends at NAM/AIDSMAP will be reporting throughout the conference. Join the conversation using the conference hashtag #IAS2023.

Satellites, Sessions and Panels Featuring AVAC and Partners

All times listed are local in Brisbane, Australia. Click for a time zone converter.

Sunday, July 23

Tuesday, July 25

Wednesday, July 26

Poster Presentations

  • No Data No More: A tool to end the exclusion of trans and gender-diverse people in HIV research
  • Raising New Voices in HIV Cure Research: A review of an advocacy-for-cure academy and grant program
  • The Value of Measuring Outcomes of HIV Advocacy: Utilising a novel and participatory approach for advocacy evaluation
  • HIV Prevention Research & Development Investments 2001-2021: Shifting investment priorities fund innovation in a challenging global health landscape
  • Revolution of Transgender Health Programming: The role of transgender activists in Health programming for Malawi

While many will be gathering in Australia for the IAS conference, the 27th International Society for Sexually Transmitted Diseases Research (ISSTDR) is happening in Chicago at the same time – and AVAC will be there, too. Stay tuned for an update later this week for AVAC’s STI Roadmap and dedicated STI conference page. Advocates, implementers and researchers in both fields have much work to do together.

HIV-Specific Neutralizing Antibodies by Target

A number of broadly neutralizing antibodies that target various regions of HIV’s Env protein are being developed for HIV prevention.

Cumulative Number of PrEP Initiations for Q1 of 2023

The Case For an HIV Cure and How to Get There

Viewpoint appearing in The Lancet HIV

Appearing in The Lancet HIV: We propose steps to plan for an HIV cure now, including defining a target product profile and establishing the HIV Cure Africa Acceleration Partnership (HCAAP), a multidisciplinary public-private partnership that will catalyse and promote HIV cure research through diverse stakeholder engagement. HCAAP will convene stakeholders, including people living with HIV, at an early stage to accelerate the design, social acceptability, and rapid adoption of HIV-cure products.

New Issue of PxWire: A look at where we are in HIV prevention

Our new issue of PxWire is here and shares the latest PrEP updates including new data from the PrEP Tracker, the HIV prevention pipeline, the prevention playlist and more! Check out the full issue here.

Evolving Strategies for an HIV Vaccine: One researcher explains where the field is going and why?

Produced and hosted by Jeanne Baron

With several large HIV vaccine trials in the last few years finding no efficacy, the field is in transition. There are diverse ideas in vaccine research, but there’s no clear concept that’s ready to test in a late-phase trial or move towards product development currently. Researchers are back to testing new ideas in early phase research.

In this episode of our Px Pulse podcast, Evolving Strategies for an HIV Vaccine: One researcher explains where the field is going and why?, Dr. Katy Stephenson explores the implications of recent trial results, the big questions driving next generation vaccine development, and new strategies underway in early phase research. Katy is a doctor, a researcher, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, affiliated with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and part of the Center for Virology and Vaccine Research.

Listen:

Resources:

Experimental Medicine Vaccine Trials (EMVTs): Opportunities and Challenges

In 2023, AVAC and CASPR partners cast a spotlight on many issues and opportunities for HIV vaccine science. This one-pager highlights key conversations.

Avac Event

STI & HIV World Congress (ISSTDR) 2023

The STI & HIV World Congress (also known as ISSTDR) kicks off in Chicago, Illinois, USA and AVAC will be there. This is the first major face-to-face meeting of STI & HIV professionals since 2019 and one of the only spaces the global STI community comes together to promote ongoing STI research efforts and exchange information on current investigations. This is also the first time AVAC is attending ISSTDR in hopes of expanding STI advocacy and community engagement.

STI & HIV World Congress Resources 

Visit STIWatch.org, a new resource for the sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) community to better understand and advocate for STI vaccine and diagnostics research, development and rollout.

STI & HIV World Congress 2023 Roadmap

Check out some AVAC-featured sessions below.

The STI Prevention Pipeline: Where Are We, and What Will It Take to Move Forward Faster?
Monday, July 24 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM in the Cadmium Room
Join us to explore the current development and implementation stages of STI vaccines and diagnostics and identify ways to accelerate research through advocacy.

Symposium: New Vaccine Approaches to STI Prevention STI Vaccine Acceptance and Equity
Tuesday, July 25 2:30 PM to 4:00 PM in Chicago 6
Join AVAC’s Alison Footman to dive into the topic of STI vaccines and equity as new interventions come into reach.

Setting Up a Remote/Home Testing STI Programme: A Practical Toolkit
Thursday, July 25 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM in Sheraton IV/V Room
Join us to explore the power of remote testing to affordably curb STI acquisitions.

Community Happy Hour 
Monday, July 24, 6:00 to 8:00 PM at Lizzie McNeill’s
Join AVAC and partners for a no frills happy hour for the STI community. All are welcome! 

ISSTDR Advocacy Zone 
Monday, July 24 to Thursday, July 27 at the Exhibit Hall
Visit the Advocacy Zone, a space to ask important questions, connect with fellow STI advocates, and begin to chart next steps in advancing STI R&D.

HIV Prevention Plus Plus: Developing Options that Meet the Full Range of our Sexual and Reproductive Health Needs

Tuesday, April 25 at 9:00 AM–10:30AM ET

Despite a dynamic research and development (R&D) pipeline for prevention products, male and female condoms remain the only multi-purpose prevention technologies (MPTs) currently available. Yet MPTs are an integral part of the HIV prevention advocacy agenda. For decades, advocates have pushed for products to be developed that simultaneously prevent HIV, other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and/or pregnancy.

With a growing number of PrEP options already, what will it take to bring a new MPT to market? A Dual Prevention Pill (DPP – https://www.prepwatch.org/products/dual-prevention-pill/) that prevents both HIV and pregnancy could be just two years away. Looking further upstream, there are over 25 other MPTs in the pipeline (https://www.prepwatch.org/research-pipeline/), including vaginal rings, which would follow in the footsteps of the dapivirine vaginal ring recommended by WHO and recently approved in several countries.

Within this fast-evolving HIV prevention landscape, work is already underway to build a platform to introduce the DPP, which could speed up the rollout of other MPTs. Join us to hear what we’ve learned so far on R&D, marketing, counseling and delivery for MPTs – and to discuss what we can do now to prepare prevention markets to include new MPT options.

Featured Speakers:
Ruth Akulu, ICWEA, AVAC fellow
Barbara Friedland, Population Council
Gregorio Millet, amfAR
Dr. Thesla Palanee-Phillips, Wits RHI
Danielle Resar, Clinton Health Access Initiative
Co-moderators: Wawira Nyagah, AVAC Kate Segal, AVAC

Recording / Slides / Resources