At first the event seemed more like a family reunion than a scientific research meeting. Chemists, microbiologists, medical doctors, and postdoctoral researchers from across the United States greeted each other like old friends as they gathered for the third annual U19 meeting supported by the Integrated Preclinical/Clinical Program for HIV Microbicides and Biomedical Prevention (IPCPMBP) of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health.
Hosted by Dr. Marc M. Baum, president and senior faculty of the Oak Crest Institute of Science, the three-day annual meeting was held on May 3-5, 2017 in and around Oak Crest’s new hometown of Monrovia, CA. The third annual U19 Meeting focused on the research, testing and efficacy assessment of a novel pod-intravaginal ring (IVR) capable of delivering one or more potent antiretroviral drugs with the goal of preventing HIV acquisition in women. Funding for this five-year grant project was awarded to Oak Crest in 2014 under the Integrated Preclinical Clinical Program for Microbicides and Biomedical Prevention (IPCPMBP), a grant (U19 AI 113048) that funds collaborative projects through the U19 cooperative agreement mechanism involving multiple institutions.
The first full day of meetings took place at historic Santa Anita Park, a thoroughbred racetrack in Arcadia, CA, just 10 minutes from the Oak Crest facilities. With its backdrop of the San Gabriel Mountains, it is considered by many to be the world’s most beautiful racetrack. The day was filled with “big picture” scientific presentations updating the team on progress made to date since last year. Day two took place at the Monrovia Canyon Park Cabin/Conference Center nestled in the hills above the city. This scenic venue sits on 80 acres with trails, a waterfall, lush vegetation and local wildlife. The tranquil, isolated location was perfect for more in-depth scientific talks by select project team members on specific accomplishments under the auspices of the Program.
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