New York City Mayor Bloomberg and Other Honorees Celebrate Opening of the First Laboratory Solely Devoted to the Development of an AIDS Vaccine
The International AIDS Vaccine Initiative Opens State-of-the-Art AIDS Vaccine Lab at Historic Brooklyn Army Terminal
November 10, 2008--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The International AIDS Vaccine Initiative
WHAT:
The International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) opens a Vaccine Design and Development Laboratory in New York City, the only facility in the world exclusively devoted to the development of an AIDS vaccine. IAVI will be the first occupant of a planned new bioscience center, spearheaded by the City and State of New York and private entities, in the landmark Brooklyn Army Terminal in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.
Scientists at IAVI's AIDS Vaccine Design and Development Lab, together with partners in academia, the private sector and government, will design, compare, prioritize and advance promising AIDS vaccine strategies, with the ultimate goal of ending the AIDS epidemic through an effective vaccine, accessible to all.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and other distinguished guests will speak at a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the Design Lab's opening.
WHO:
Michael R. Bloomberg - Mayor, The City of New York
Seth Berkley - President and CEO, IAVI
Dennis R. Burton - Scientific Director, IAVI Neutralizing Antibody Consortium and Professor, Department of Immunology, The Scripps Research Institute
Salim Abdool-Karim - Pro Vice Chancellor, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
WHY:
New York is a global city, and there are few global problems more pressing than AIDS. Despite advances made in AIDS treatment and some success with HIV prevention, AIDS remains the number four killer globally and the number one in sub-Saharan Africa. Scientists agree that the best hope for ending the AIDS pandemic is through a preventive vaccine.
New York City has the highest concentration of academic institutions in the world and is home to more than 125 bioscience companies, nine world-class medical centers and two of the four major global vaccine developers. All of which makes New York an ideal wellspring for the kind of pioneering ideas that will be necessary for development of an effective AIDS vaccine.
WHERE:
Brooklyn Army Terminal, 140 58th Street, Brooklyn NY 11220
WHEN:
Wednesday, November 12 from 6:00PM to 9:00PM
Media are invited to tour the facility and shoot B-roll footage earlier in the day from 12:00 - 1:30PM.