HIV discoverer visits Malawi: Levy is medical researcher at University of California San Francisco

Co-discoverer of the Human Immune-deficiency virus (HIV) Dr. Jay Levy, a professor at the University of California San Francisco, will visit Malawi next week to discuss the 35 year history of the discovery among other engagements.

Dr Levy will be hosted by Global AIDS Interfaith Alliance (GAIA) Malawi, the Medical Aid Society of Malawi (Masm) and the Research Support Centre at the College of Medicine

The HIV discoverer will discuss the 35 year history of the discovery of HIV at the College of Medicine before visiting HIV prevention and care programs in Mulanje district run by GAIA Malawi.

GAIA Malawi Country Director Joyce Jere in an interview yesterday said that all preparations for Dr. Levy’s visit are underway and they are looking forward to sharing experiences and ideas with the man who co-discovered HIV.

“Dr Levy will hold a talk in Blantyre at the College of Medicine on Tuesday 17th April 2018 where he will talk about the discovery of HIV almost 35 years ago and will give an update on the advances and future directions in prevention and treatment of the disease,” said Jere.

According to available information on his biography, Jay A. Levy is Professor, Department of Medicine; Research Associate, Cancer Research Institute; and Director of the Laboratory for Tumor and AIDS Virus Research, at the University of California, San Francisco.

After graduating from Wesleyan University, he spent a year in Paris on Fulbright and French government fellowships.

He received his M.D. from Columbia University where he also was an International Fellow in the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) program.

In 1983, Dr. Levy independently discovered HIV and during the past 35 years, he has dedicated his efforts to biologic, immunologic, and molecular studies of HIV/AIDS.

Dr. Levy has published more than 600 articles in virology, immunology and infectious diseases. He is author or editor of 14 books on virology and immunology and is Editor-in-Chief of the highly cited journal, AIDS.

Among his publications are his acclaimed four-volume series, The Retroviridae, and his seminal, sole-authored book, HIV and the Pathogenesis of AIDS, now in its third edition and translated into several languages.

Dr. Levy is involved in studies toward an immune-based therapy, a vaccine, and a cure for HIV infection. Dr. Levy is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Academy of Microbiology.

He was on the Wesleyan Board of Trustees from 1988 – 91 and received the Distinguished Alumnus Award and an Honorary Degree in Science from Wesleyan University.

Dr Levy has been awarded the Gold Medal for Excellence in Medical Research from Columbia University. He also serves on the Medical Advisory Board of the Global AIDS Interfaith Alliance (GAIA)

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