Researchers at and associated with the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI), at The Scripps Research Institute, and at the biotechnology companies Theraclone Sciences and Monogram Biosciences have discovered two powerful new antibodies to HIV that reveal what may be an Achilles heel on the virus.

Dianne Stewart, former head of Board and Donor relations at the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, has joined the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) as Vice President of Resource Development. In her role at IAVI, Ms. Stewart will provide leadership for the organization’s fundraising strategy focused on both the public and private sectors. For more information, please see the press release below.

The OCTAVE Project -- Online Collaborative Training for AIDS Vaccine Evaluation -- is organizing a workshop on October 18 and 19 at AIDS Vaccine 2009 that focuses on analysis and assays of antibodies in HIV Vaccine Research. The workshop will blend novel eLearning exercises in advance of an interactive, face-to-face 1.5 day workshop for early stage investigators selected to participate.

The NIAID seeks outstanding candidates for the newly created position of chief of the Vaccine Discovery Branch in the Vaccine Research Program of the Division of AIDS (DAIDS). The selected individual will serve as a Health Scientist Administrator (Branch Chief) with responsibility for planning, developing, implementing, and evaluating an extramural program of grants and contracts in basic HIV vaccine discovery research.

For more information, please visit the link below.

The minutes from the July 6 meeting of the YECI Committee can be found below.