SILVER SPRING, Md. –
The Military HIV Research Program (MHRP) at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research recently held its inaugural HIV Young Investigators’ Showcase on May 13.
Held in commemoration of HIV Vaccine Awareness Day, the event featured early- and mid-career researchers presenting their work on MHRP’s efforts in HIV vaccine and cure research and global health.
“For some of the participants, it was their first time presenting their science to an audience of their peers and institute leadership,” said MHRP Director Col. Julie Ake. “It provided them with valuable experience while honoring their contributions as tomorrow’s leaders in infectious disease research and military medicine.”
The “build the bench” event, planned by a committee of MHRP scientists, allowed researchers to hone their presentation skills through oral abstracts, elevator pitches, and poster demonstrations scored by guest judges and various WRAIR branches.
Brig. Gen. Edward Bailey, commanding general of the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command, opened the showcase. “We are fortunate to be working in an era where we can rapidly develop cutting-edge technology and build state-of-the-art solutions to advance military medical care. These solutions protect and save service members from injury, disease, and trauma, and many of our efforts have a global impact,” he said. He also highlighted the variety of career paths available to junior scientists in military medicine.
After the oral abstracts, researchers presented multiple poster presentations in the Gorgas Memorial Library. Themes ranged from improving vaccine adjuvants and characterizing the genetic evolution of HIV to identifying hotspots for pediatric care in Africa.
Near the conclusion of the showcase, an awards ceremony highlighted the winning presentations. Ashan Dayananda, PhD won first place for the elevator pitch category with “From algorithms to action: machine learning for decision making in biology.” The first-place poster award was a tie between Michelle Zemil, PhD for “Selecting candidates for next-generation bNAb isolation to address the decreasing neutralization sensitivity of HIV-1 Env” and Maj. Brennan Cebula for “COVID-19 knowledge, attitudes, and practices among people vulnerable to HIV in western Kenya.” Amobi Andrew Onovo, PhD took first place in the oral presentation category with “Pediatric HIV Hotspots: Machine Learning and Geostatistical Analysis for Enhanced Case Finding.”
Since its inception in 1986, WRAIR’s MHRP has become a global leader in HIV vaccine research. Their landmark RV144 Thai trial marked the first successful human study of an HIV vaccine, solidifying MHRP's reputation and fostering collaborations with top global research institutions. Supported by partnerships like the Henry M. Jackson Foundation and the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, MHRP continues to pioneer HIV prevention and treatment strategies, integrating research with community-focused programs supported by PEPFAR.