DOYLESTOWN, PA (April 15, 2008)
Rafi Ahmed, PhD - HBF's 2008 Distinguished Bruce Witte Lecturer
"Immunological Strategies for Treating Chronic Viral Infections"
Tuesday, April 22, 2008 at 4:00pm
Reception will follow
Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center
3805 Old Easton Road
Doylestown, PA 18902
Dr. Ahmed is an internationally recognized expert on viral persistence and the immune response to viruses.
As the Director of the Emory Vaccine Center and as the Georgia Alliance Eminent Scholar, Dr. Ahmed studies immunological memory – the ability of the immune system to “remember” a particular antigen and respond accordingly. Dr. Ahmed and his colleagues have made significant discoveries about how immune memory cells are created and how long they survive; understanding these mechanisms is crucial to the development of vaccines for HBV and other infectious agents. In addition to contributing vitally to vaccine science, Dr. Ahmed’s findings are being applied to research into therapies for the treatment of cancer and the prevention of organ rejection.
The long-term goal of Dr. Ahmed's research is to understand the mechanisms of immunological memory and to use this information to develop new vaccines for the prevention and treatment of disease.
About the Hepatitis B Foundation
The Hepatitis B Foundation is the only national nonprofit organization solely dedicated to finding a cure and improving the quality of life for those affected with hepatitis B worldwide through research, education and patient advocacy. The Foundation is located in the new Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center, which it created to expand and accelerate its research mission. For more information, visit www.hepb.org or call (215) 489-4900.
About the Distinguished Bruce Witte Lecturer
The Institute for Hepatitis and Virus Research (IHVR), the Hepatitis B Foundation and the Drexel Institute co-sponsor an annual Seminar Series to promote scientific exchange at the national and international level. The Distinguished Bruce Witte Lecturer is a named lectureship established by Paul and Janine Witte, Co-Founders of the Hepatitis B Foundation. It is awarded each year to an outstanding scientist who serves as the keynote speaker for the Seminar Series.