The International AIDS Society (IAS) yesterday announced that Professor Hendrik Streeck is the Local Scientific Chair of the 11th IAS Conference on HIV Science (IAS 2021), which takes place in Berlin, Germany, on 18-21 July 2021.
Professor Streeck is the Director of the Institute for HIV Research at the University Hospital, Medical Faculty University Duisburg-Essen, in ESSEN.IAS President-Elect Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman has been named as IAS 2021 International Scientific Chair.
“As Berlin was once divided, HIV continues to divide societies, leaving many patients behind. In Berlin, we want to change this narrative once and for all,” Professor Streeck said. “Collaborative efforts are under way to work on novel HIV prevention and cure strategies, as well as the latest treatment options.
“I am honoured to be serving as the IAS 2021 Co-Chair alongside Dr Kamarulzaman. Hosting IAS 2021 in Berlin will be an important opportunity to assess progress on identifying, treating and caring for people living with HIV across the European region.”
Professor Streeck is the former Chief of the Cellular Immunology Section of the U.S. Military HIV Research Program and adjunct Assistant Professor in Emerging Infectious Diseases at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. He is also an IAS Member.
In March 2015, Professor Streeck became the Chair of the Institute for HIV Research and remains a visiting scientist at the Military HIV Research Program on HIV vaccine and cure research. Currently, he leads the largest systematic study to understand the feasibility of conducting a Phase 3 HIV vaccine trial in Europe and to understand the epidemic of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). As a result, the European HIV & STI prevention network was established in January 2019.
Professor Streeck completed his medical training in Berlin in 2006 and received his PhD from Friedrich-Wilhelm University in Bonn in 2007. After completing his postdoctoral fellowship at the Partners AIDS Research Center, he became Assistant Professor at the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard and assistant immunologist at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts.
Berlin hosted the 9th International AIDS Conference in 1993, but this is the first time that the city will host the IAS Conference on HIV Science.
“As a multiple award-winning clinician-scientist, Professor Streeck will bring a fresh perspective and deep expertise as the IAS 2021 Local Scientific Chair,” Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman said. “He is highly respected within the scientific community both in Germany and at the international level. I am truly honoured to work with him to create a diverse and robust scientific programme.”