Martin S. Hirsch, MD

The International Antiviral Society–USA (IAS–USA) has awarded Martin S. Hirsch, MD, Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts, the IAS–USA Lifetime of Leadership Award for his outstanding impact on the field of HIV medicine and research. Dr Hirsch was honored on April 5, 2011, at the IAS–USA annual continuing medical education course in New York City.

The IAS–USA Lifetime of Leadership Award recognizes individuals who have made significant and lasting contributions to the field of HIV medicine through scientific and academic leadership, as well as physician education and training, to improve the treatment and care for people infected with HIV or other viral infections.

Dr Hirsch is recognized for his extraordinary talents as a physician, investigator, mentor, and editor in the field of HIV. He has been a leader in the field since HIV disease was first recognized. He has provided his clinical and research expertise for more than 15 years as a member of the IAS–USA Panel on Antiretroviral Treatment of Adult HIV Infection, developing treatment guidelines that focus on preventing the progression of HIV infection to AIDS. He also develops treatment guidelines as a member of the US Department of Health and Human Services Panel on Clinical Practices for the Treatment of HIV Infection.

Dr Hirsch has demonstrated remarkable service, research, and teaching throughout his career. He has been a Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School since 1988, and a Professor of Immunology and Infectious Diseases since 1996. He is recognized for his important contributions as the Director of the Harvard Collaborative AIDS Treatment Evaluation Unit from 1986 to 2003 and as the current Director of the Harvard Multidisciplinary AIDS Research Training Grant. Dr Hirsch’s current research focuses on finding drug combinations that delay the development of multidrug resistance and reduce viral replication in HIV-1 infection. Dr Hirsch is also a seasoned editor who has served as an Editorial Board member for numerous prestigious medical journals over the past three decades, including AIDS, the New England Journal of Medicine, Clinical Infectious Diseases, and the Journal of Infectious Diseases, where he has been Editor-in-Chief since 2003. Dr Hirsch is also recognized for his outstanding mentorship; over the past four decades, Dr Hirsch has trained numerous physicians who are now also in the forefront of the fight against HIV.

IAS–USA is a not-for-profit professional organization that has been sponsoring CME programs for physicians since 1992 and is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME). The mission of the IAS–USA is to improve the treatment, care, and quality of life for people with HIV or other viral infections through high-quality, relevant, balanced, and needs-oriented education and information for practitioners who are actively involved in medical care.