McElrath receives HIV advocacy award

In celebration of World AIDS Day on Dec. 1, the Global Alliance to Immunize against AIDS Vaccine Foundation honored the humanitarian work of three noted HIV/AIDS advocates, including Dr. Julie McElrath, co-director of the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division and a Hutchinson Center senior vice president.

McElrath received the GAIA Vaccine Foundation’s national Hope is a Vaccine Award for her work with the HIV Vaccine Trials Network and Seattle Vaccine Trials Unit. The organization commended her efforts in building and maintaining a successful international HIV vaccine laboratory program and in conducting translational immunological research in humans in a multicenter setting. Her research has contributed to fundamental understanding of how T-cells control HIV infection.

McElrath has been a leader at the national and international level in several well-known HIV vaccine initiatives and has upheld higher standards for the quality of HIV vaccine research on an international level. GAIA Vaccine Foundation officials lauded her methodical approach to HIV vaccine trial evaluation and her balanced perspective on HIV vaccines.

The GAIA VF bestows the Hope is a Vaccine Award is annually to individuals working in the international, national and local fight against HIV/AIDS.

[Adapted from a GAIA news release]