GLOBAL HEALTH RESEARCHER TO PUSH FOR MORE U.S. SUPPORT
Dr. Steve Reed has been named Global Health Research Ambassador
Seattle—January 14, 2009—Dr. Steve Reed, Founder and Head of Research and Development of the Infectious Disease Research Institute (IDRI),has been selected to join a group of 25 experts in global health research who will advocate for greater U.S. investment in global health research. They join 50 of their peers in Research!America’s Paul G. Rogers Society for Global Health Research in a united effort to build a national conversation around the value and importance of U.S. funded global heath research.
The Rogers Society, named for the Honorable Paul G. Rogers (1921-2008), former Florida Congressman, renowned champion for health research, and Research!America chair emeritus, works to increase awareness of and make the case for greater U.S. investment in research to fight diseases that disproportionately affect the world’s poorest nations.
Since the very early days of his career, Dr. Reed has focused his interests on the immunology of intracellular pathogens and the development of vaccines and diagnostics for neglected diseases. In 1979 he was appointed Scientist of the National Institute of Amazon Research in Manaus, Brazil, where he directed research on tropical diseases. He later joined Cornell University Medical College as Assistant Professor of Medicine, continuing to work in Brazil as manager of the Cornell-Bahia program in International Medicine. His experience in the field working closely with those afflicted by debilitating illnesses such as leishmaniasis and Chagas disease made him realize that additional efforts, developed with the intention of making field-appropriate products, were urgently needed to address these challenges.
Back in the US, Dr. Reed founded IDRI in 1993 with the vision of gathering a team of world-class scientists who would apply innovative science to the research and development of products to prevent, detect and treat infectious diseases of poverty. Today, with a growing team of more than 75 people, the Seattle-based not-for-profit organization focuses its research and development activities on four principal diseases: tuberculosis, malaria, leishmaniasis and leprosy.
“I am honored to have been chosen as Global Health Research Ambassador in Research!America’s Paul G. Rogers Society for Global Health Research,” said Dr. Reed. “With the globalization of major infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, increased U.S investment in global health research could have a critical impact all around the globe, from the poorest populations in developing countries to people at risk in the US.”
Dr. Reed’s work also plays a crucial role in boosting the economy of Washington State and maintaining America’s overall competitiveness. In addition to IDRI, he is the co-founder of two biotech companies based in Seattle, Immune Design Corp. and Dharma Therapeutics. He was also co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Corixa Corporation, which was sold to GlaxoSmithKline in 2005.
Dr. Reed’s academic appointments include Adjunct Professor of Medicine at Cornell University Medical College and Research Professor of Pathobiology at the University of Washington. He serves on several editorial review committees and is a member of the Vaccine Development Steering Committee at the World Health Organization. He also has served as a member of the Tropical Medicine Review Board of the National Institutes of Health.
Dr. Reed and hispeers were selected by an advisory council comprised of renowned leaders in science, public policy and communications, including four Nobel Laureates. Together they will meet with their policymakers to make the case for an increased U.S. investment in global health research through the examples of their own research.
“We have a new Congress and a new Administration. Now is the time when we can make a difference for global health research. These Ambassadors will be exceptional leaders in advocacy. Their example will serve as an inspiration for every global health researcher,” said the Honorable John Edward Porter, chair of the Rogers Society Advisory Council and Research!America board chair. “Paul Rogers’ spirit lives on through the work of each of these Ambassadors. As he often said, without research, there is no hope.”
The Society was established in 2006 by Research!America with funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Research!America works with the Ambassadors to maximize the effectiveness of their outreach to policy makers, opinion leaders and the media.
Research!America is the nation’s largest not-for-profit public education and advocacy alliance working to make research to improve health a higher national priority. Founded in 1989, it is supported by 500 member organizations, which represent more than 125 million Americans. For more information, visit www.researchamerica.org.
Contact:
Alice Grasset 206-330-2553 or agrasset@idri.org
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