Michael S. Saag, MD
Jim Straley Chair in AIDS Research
Professor of Medicine
Director, Center for AIDS Research
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, AL

Research, Lecture, and Writing Topics

• Use of antiretroviral therapy
• HIV pathogenesis
• Long-term outcomes research

Current Professional Summary

Dr Saag is Jim Straley Chair in AIDS Research and Director of Center for AIDS Research at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He teaches at University Hospital and directs the Research Unit at the 1917 Clinic.

Committees and Organizations

• Member, Board of Directors, IAS–USA
• Member, Antiretroviral Therapy Guidelines Panel, IAS–USA
• Member, Metabolic Complications Guidelines Panel, IAS–USA
• Board Member, HIV Medicine Association
• Board Member, Infectious Diseases Society of America
• Governor's Task Force on AIDS in Alabama
• Director, Mary Fisher Care Fund
• American Society of Clinical Investigation
• Chair, American Board of Internal Medicine, Infectious Diseases Subspecialty Board

Honors and Awards

• Hadassah Myrtle Wreath Award (1996)
• Best Doctors in America list, American Health (1996-2004)
• Excellence in Teaching Award, Medical Assocation, State of Alabama
• Citizen of the Year Nominee, Young Men's Business Club
• Medical Researcher of the Year, AIDS Task Force of Alabama

Education

• Tulane University, BS, Chemistry with Honors
• University of Louisville, MD
• University of Alabama at Birmingham, Internship/Residency/Chief Residency
• University of Alabama at Birmingham, Fellowship in Molecular Virology/Infectious Diseases

Selected Publications

1. Pantaleo G, Demarest JF, Soudeyns H, Graziosi C, Denis F, Adelsberger JW, Borrow P, Saag MS, Shaw GM, Sekaly RP, Fauci AS. Major expansion of CD8 T-lymphocytes with a predominant Vβ usage during primary immune response to HIV. Nature. 1994;370:463-467.
2. Saag MS, Hammer SM, Lange JM. Pathogenicity and diversity of HIV and implications for clinical management: a review. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 1994;7(suppl 2):S2-S11.
3. Wei X, Ghosh SK, Taylor ME, Johnson VA, Emini E, Deutsch P, Lifson JD, Bonhoeffer S, Nowak MA, Hahn BH, Saag MS, Shaw GM. Viral dynamics in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection. Nature. 1995;373:117-122.
4. Saag MS, Holodniy M, Kuritzkes DR, O'Brien WA, Coombs R, Poscher ME, Jacobsen DM, Shaw GM, Richman DD, Volberding PA, for the International AIDS Society–USA. HIV viral load markers in clinical practice. Nat Med. 1996;2:625-629.
5. Wheat J, MaWhinney S, Hafner R, McKinsey D, Chen D, Korzun A, Skakan KJ, Johnson P, Hamill R, Bamberger D, Pappas P, Stansell J, Koletar S, Squires K, Larsen RA, Cheung T, Hyslop N, Lai KK, Schneider D, Kauffman C, Saag MS, Dismukes W, Powderly W, for the NIAID Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome Clinical Trials Group and Mycoses Study Group. Treatment of histoplasmosis with fluconazole in patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Am J Med. 1997;103;223-232.
6. Carpenter CJ, Fischl MA, Hammer SM, Hirsch MS, Jacobsen DM, Katzenstein DA, Montaner JSG, Richman DD, Saag MS, Schooley RT, Thompson MA, Vella S, Yeni PG, Volberding PA. Antiretroviral therapy for HIV infection in 1998: updated recommendations of the International AIDS Society–USA Panel. JAMA. 1998;280:78-86.
7. Kilby JM, Hopkins S, Venetta TM, DiMassimo B, Cloud GA, Lee JY, Alldredge L, Hunter E, Lambert D, Bolognesi D, Matthews T, Johnson MR, Nowak MA, Shaw GM, Saag MS. Potent suppression of HIV-1 replication in humans by T-20, a peptide inhibitor of gp41-mediated virus entry. Nat Med. 1998;4:1302-1307.
8. Saag MS, Kilby JM. HIV-1 and HAART: a time to cure, a time to kill. Nat Med. 1999;5:609-611.
9. Saag MS. A review of the FIAU tragedy and its effect on clinical research. J Clin Res Pract. 1999;1:21-32.
10. Saag MS, Fessel WJ, Kaufman CA, Merrill KW, Ward DJ, Moskovitz BL, Thomas C, Oleka N, Guarnieri JA, Lee J, Brenner-Gati L, Klausner M. Treatment of fluconazole-refractory oropharyngeal candidiasis with itraconazole oral solution in HIV-positive patients. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses. 1999;15:1413-1417.
11. Hammer SM, Saag MS, Schechter M, Montaner JS, Schooley RT, Jacobsen DM, Thompson MA, Carpenter CC, Fischl MA, Gazzard BG, Gatell JM, Hirsch MS, Katzenstein DA, Richman DD, Vella S, Yeni PG, Volberding PA; International AIDS Society-USA panel. Treatment for adult HIV infection: 2006 recommendations of the International AIDS Society-USA panel. JAMA. 2006;296:827-843. (Prior recommendations published in 2004, 2002, 2000, 1998, 1997, 1996)

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