Grant To Continue HIV Research

12-05-97
Hershey, Pa. -- Michael Katzman, M.D., assistant professor of medicine and microbiology and immunology in Penn State's College of Medicine, has been awarded $116,000 to continue his HIV research. The award will fund a project titled, "HIV-1 Integrase, the Next Target for Antiretroviral Therapy."

Katzman is investigating how the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) incorporates its genetic information into the DNA of infected human cells. This process ultimately results in the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).

"We are planning to study the problem at the molecular level in hopes of ultimately blocking this step in virus replication. This research may also have relevance to other retroviruses and to some cancers," says Katzman.

He has been investigating retroviral integration since 1986. Katzman developed a biochemical assay that is used throughout the world in labs studying retrovirus integration and by drug companies trying to develop inhibitors for clinical therapy of patients.

Katzman has been on the faculty in the College of Medicine since 1989. He attended medical school at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York and completed his residency in internal medicine and fellowships in infectious diseases and biochemistry at the University Hospitals of Cleveland and Case Western Reserve University.

The grant is sponsored by the W. W. Smith Charitable Trust in Newtown Square, Pa. The trust makes grant funds available to scientists in support of basic heart disease, cancer and AIDS research projects. This competitive award brings to $221,000 the total amount of support provided by the trust to Dr. Katzman's laboratory for this research project.

**hmc**

Contacts:
Leilyn Perri (717) 531-8604 (o) leilyn.perri@hmc.psu.edu
M. Steven Bortner (717) 531-8607 (o) (717) 838-5910 (h)

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