Robert Yarchoan
Encyclopedia
Robert Yarchoan is a medical researcher who played an important role in the development of the first effective drugs for AIDS
. He is the Chief of the HIV and AIDS Malignancy Branch in the NCI
and also coordinates AIDS and AIDS malignancy research throughout the NCI
as Director of the Office of HIV and AIDS Malignancy (OHAM).
Dr. Yarchoan attended Amherst College
and subsequently received his M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania
. Along with his colleagues Drs. Samuel Broder
and Hiroaki Mitsuya
in the National Cancer Institute (NCI
), he co-developed and conducted the first clinical trials of zidovudine
(AZT), didanosine
(ddI), and zalcitabine (ddC). These trials were the first to demonstrate that administration of anti-retroviral drugs could reverse the declines in CD4
cells and immunologic impairment caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. He also conducted the first trials of combination anti-HIV therapy. Dr. Yarchoan's research efforts have also focused on AIDS malignancies, focusing on the pathogenesis and treatment of Kaposi's sarcoma
and other virus-associated tumors. He led the first clinical studies showing that paclitaxel
was an effective therapy for Kaposi's sarcoma
and that thalidomide
has activity in this disease.
, Robert C. Gallo, and Hiroaki Mitsuya
. In October 2009, he received the National Cancer Institute Director's Awards of Merit for leadership in promoting and supporting research in HIV/AIDS and HIV-associated malignancies at the National Cancer Institute
.
Dr. Yarchoan is a co-editor of several journals. He is a member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation and has been inducted as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
(AAAS).
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
. He is the Chief of the HIV and AIDS Malignancy Branch in the NCI
National Cancer Institute
The National Cancer Institute is part of the National Institutes of Health , which is one of 11 agencies that are part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The NCI coordinates the U.S...
and also coordinates AIDS and AIDS malignancy research throughout the NCI
National Cancer Institute
The National Cancer Institute is part of the National Institutes of Health , which is one of 11 agencies that are part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The NCI coordinates the U.S...
as Director of the Office of HIV and AIDS Malignancy (OHAM).
Dr. Yarchoan attended Amherst College
Amherst College
Amherst College is a private liberal arts college located in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. Amherst is an exclusively undergraduate four-year institution and enrolled 1,744 students in the fall of 2009...
and subsequently received his M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
. Along with his colleagues Drs. Samuel Broder
Samuel Broder
Samuel Broder is an American oncologist and medical researcher. He was a co-developer of some of the first effective drugs for the treatment of AIDS and was Director of the National Cancer Institute from 1989 to 1995....
and Hiroaki Mitsuya
Hiroaki Mitsuya
is a Japanese virologist famous for his role in discovery of the anti-HIV drug zidovudine as well as other anti-AIDS drugs including didanosine and zalcitabine . Mitsuya obtained his M.D. and Ph.D. at Kumamoto University in Japan...
in the National Cancer Institute (NCI
National Cancer Institute
The National Cancer Institute is part of the National Institutes of Health , which is one of 11 agencies that are part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The NCI coordinates the U.S...
), he co-developed and conducted the first clinical trials of zidovudine
Zidovudine
Zidovudine or azidothymidine is a nucleoside analog reverse-transcriptase inhibitor , a type of antiretroviral drug used for the treatment of HIV/AIDS. It is an analog of thymidine....
(AZT), didanosine
Didanosine
Didanosine is sold under the trade names Videx and Videx EC. It is a reverse transcriptase inhibitor, effective against HIV and used in combination with other antiretroviral drug therapy as part of highly active antiretroviral therapy .-History:The related pro-drug of didanosine,...
(ddI), and zalcitabine (ddC). These trials were the first to demonstrate that administration of anti-retroviral drugs could reverse the declines in CD4
CD4
CD4 is a glycoprotein expressed on the surface of T helper cells, monocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells. It was discovered in the late 1970s and was originally known as leu-3 and T4 before being named CD4 in 1984...
cells and immunologic impairment caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. He also conducted the first trials of combination anti-HIV therapy. Dr. Yarchoan's research efforts have also focused on AIDS malignancies, focusing on the pathogenesis and treatment of Kaposi's sarcoma
Kaposi's sarcoma
Kaposi's sarcoma is a tumor caused by Human herpesvirus 8 , also known as Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus . It was originally described by Moritz Kaposi , a Hungarian dermatologist practicing at the University of Vienna in 1872. It became more widely known as one of the AIDS defining...
and other virus-associated tumors. He led the first clinical studies showing that paclitaxel
Paclitaxel
Paclitaxel is a mitotic inhibitor used in cancer chemotherapy. It was discovered in a U.S. National Cancer Institute program at the Research Triangle Institute in 1967 when Monroe E. Wall and Mansukh C. Wani isolated it from the bark of the Pacific yew tree, Taxus brevifolia and named it taxol...
was an effective therapy for Kaposi's sarcoma
Kaposi's sarcoma
Kaposi's sarcoma is a tumor caused by Human herpesvirus 8 , also known as Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus . It was originally described by Moritz Kaposi , a Hungarian dermatologist practicing at the University of Vienna in 1872. It became more widely known as one of the AIDS defining...
and that thalidomide
Thalidomide
Thalidomide was introduced as a sedative drug in the late 1950s that was typically used to cure morning sickness. In 1961, it was withdrawn due to teratogenicity and neuropathy. There is now a growing clinical interest in thalidomide, and it is introduced as an immunomodulatory agent used...
has activity in this disease.
Awards and honors
Dr. Yarchoan has received many awards including the Assistant Secretary for Health Award and the U.S. Public Health Service Outstanding Service Medal. He also was awarded the first National Institutes of Health (NIH) World AIDS Day Award in December, 2006 for his work in developing drugs for AIDS. In November, 2007, he was awarded the NCI HIV/AIDS Research Excellence Award along with his colleagues, Drs. Samuel BroderSamuel Broder
Samuel Broder is an American oncologist and medical researcher. He was a co-developer of some of the first effective drugs for the treatment of AIDS and was Director of the National Cancer Institute from 1989 to 1995....
, Robert C. Gallo, and Hiroaki Mitsuya
Hiroaki Mitsuya
is a Japanese virologist famous for his role in discovery of the anti-HIV drug zidovudine as well as other anti-AIDS drugs including didanosine and zalcitabine . Mitsuya obtained his M.D. and Ph.D. at Kumamoto University in Japan...
. In October 2009, he received the National Cancer Institute Director's Awards of Merit for leadership in promoting and supporting research in HIV/AIDS and HIV-associated malignancies at the National Cancer Institute
National Cancer Institute
The National Cancer Institute is part of the National Institutes of Health , which is one of 11 agencies that are part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The NCI coordinates the U.S...
.
Dr. Yarchoan is a co-editor of several journals. He is a member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation and has been inducted as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Association for the Advancement of Science
The American Association for the Advancement of Science is an international non-profit organization with the stated goals of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific responsibility, and supporting scientific education and science outreach for the...
(AAAS).