What's New at GWUMC

Washington, D.C. — Pamela W. Barnes, president and CEO of the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, and Alan Greenberg, MD, MPH,  professor and chair of the George Washington University Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, today announced the dual appointment of Laura Ann Guay, MD, as vice president for research at the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation and as research professor at The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics.  Dr. Guay is a world-renowned expert in the areas of pediatric HIV and the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV.

“We are delighted to have Dr. Guay on our team, and look forward to the leadership she will provide to the Foundation’s research efforts,” Barnes said.  “As a pediatrician, researcher, and professor, she has been at the forefront of scientific efforts to reduce mother-to-child transmission of HIV, and will contribute greatly to our mission of eradicating pediatric AIDS through the Foundation’s strategic plan of program implementation, research, and advocacy. Dr. Guay’s dual appointment will also strengthen the growing partnership between the Foundation and GW’s School of Public Health and Health Services.”

“Dr. Guay brings a wealth of international field experience and extremely strong academic credentials that will enhance the research, educational, and service missions of The George Washington University, and she is exceptionally well-qualified to assume a leadership role in the research agenda of the Foundation,” Dr. Greenberg said.  “As she is an alumnus of The George Washington University School of Medicine, it is a great honor to welcome her back to her alma mater, where she will contribute greatly to mentoring the next generation of GW students.” 

Dr. Guay received her MD from GW in 1985, and went on to a pediatrics residency at Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital and Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.  From 1988 to 1991, she was a visiting lecturer at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda, before returning to Rainbow Babies and Case Western for a fellowship in pediatric infectious diseases, and subsequently as a professor at Case Western.  In 1996, she moved to The Johns Hopkins University, where she served first as a professor of pathology and pediatrics and later as a professor of international health, conducting extensive field research while living full-time in Uganda from 1995 to 2001.

She has conducted numerous studies, resulting in a long list of publications focused on various aspects of pediatric AIDS, its transmission, and treatments. In 1999, she received a Recognition Award for Outstanding Contributions to Advancing the Prevention of Perinatal HIV Transmission from the Second Conference on Global Strategies for the Prevention of HIV Transmission from Mothers to Infants, in Montreal, Canada. The award stemmed from her work on the landmark HIVNET 012 trial in Uganda, which determined the effectiveness of single-dose nevirapine in preventing mother-to-child transmission.  Most recently, her research has focused on reducing the rate of HIV transmission in breast-feeding infants and on development of an HIV infant vaccine. 

Dr. Guay’s appointment comes as the Foundation and GW’s School of Public Health and Health Services celebrate the first anniversary of their partnership. This collaboration aligns GW’s expertise in public health with the Foundation’s work fighting pediatric AIDS around the world. Throughout the first year, the partnership has promoted various opportunities to tie public health research more closely with the delivery of AIDS prevention and treatment services in resource-limited settings, and created educational and professional opportunities for both Foundation staff and GW faculty and students.

GW provides resources to assist the Foundation and offers guidance on various HIV/AIDS research projects such as Project HEART, a program that integrates care and treatment services into existing prevention of mother-to-child transmission programs across Africa. As it grows, the partnership will continue to foster mutual opportunities for staff, faculty, and students to collaborate.

The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation

The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation is a worldwide leader in the fight against pediatric AIDS. Its innovative research programs, collaborative training initiatives, advocacy efforts, and rapidly expanding international prevention and treatment programs are bringing hope to the lives of children and families affected by AIDS worldwide.  For more information, visit www.pedaids.org.

 
The George Washington University’s School of Public Health and Health Services (SPHHS):

SPHHS was established in July 1997, bringing together three longstanding university programs in the Schools of Medicine, Business, and Education.  Today, more than 900 students from nearly every state and more than 35 nations pursue undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral-level degrees in public health.

The George Washington University Medical Center:
The George Washington University Medical Center is an internationally recognized interdisciplinary academic health center that has consistently provided high-quality medical care in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area for 176 years.  The Medical Center comprises the School of Medicine and Health Sciences, the 11th oldest medical school in the country; the School of Public Health and Health Services, the only such school in the nation’s capital; GW Hospital, jointly owned and operated by a partnership between The George Washington University and a subsidiary of Universal Health Services, Inc.; and the GW Medical Faculty Associates, an independent faculty practice plan.  For more information on GWUMC, visit www.gwumc.edu.