Division of Basic Science

C. David Pauza, Ph.D.,
Professor, Institute of Human Virology, UMBI
Adjunct Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland, Baltimore
Adjunct Professor, Italian National Institute for Infectious Disease, Lorenzo Spallanzani, Rome, Italy
cdpauza@ihv.umaryland.edu

Dr. Pauza received the Ph.D. in 1981 from the Virus Laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley. His graduate degree was supervised by Professor Howard Schachman, a renowned biochemist and pioneer in the application of physical methods to the study of biology. From 1981-1985, Dr. Pauza was a postdoctoral fellow and staff member of the Laboratory of Molecular Biology at the Medical Reseach Council, Cambridge, England. Working under the direction of Nobel laureate Sydney Brenner, Dr. Pauza defined patterns of gene expression and their changes in developing human T lymphocytes. In 1985, Dr. Pauza moved to the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, California to pursue studies in human immunology with Professor Melvin Cohn. At the Salk Institute, Dr. Pauza created the AIDS Research Program and guided its development and expansion until 1990 when he accepted an appointment at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, after being recruited by the late Nobel laureate Howard M. Temin. Moving from assistant to full professor in 6 years, Dr. Pauza created the Immunology and Virology Division at the Wisconsin Regional Primate Research Center, and established strong interdisciplinary programs in AIDS involving basic, clinical and animal models research.

After 10 years on the University of Wisconsin faculty and after guiding the substantial growth of AIDS research programs there, Dr. Pauza accepted an offer from Dr. Robert C. Gallo to join the Institute of Human Virology as professor in the Basic Science Division. He also holds adjunct professorships in the University of Maryland, Baltimore Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and the Italian National Institute for Infectious Disease, Lorenzo Spallanzani, in Rome. At the Institute of Human Virology, Dr. Pauza continues fundamental studies on the interaction of HIV and its human hosts, maintains a strong component of animal models research to test new vaccine concepts, and is working to develop new programs for interrupting mother-to-child transmission of HIV in west Africa.

Dr. Pauza has authored more than 125 original research papers and contributed to five edited books. Notable papers include the first report of cellular apoptosis associated with HIV infection, demonstration of the route for virus entry into susceptible cells, defining the connection between monocyte/macrophage differentiation and HIV infection, one of the first assays for virus replication levels in blood, the discovery of transient virus infection in monkeys, the first testing of recombinant Salmonella vaccine in macaques, the development and application of medical imaging technology to HIV/AIDS, the demonstration of activation induced cell death during acute infection, the first paper on HIV-induced depletion of gamma/delta T cells, demonstration of the potential for Tat vaccination to attenuate disease in macaques, and defining new antigens for vaccine development. Dr. Pauza has three patents relating to HIV/AIDS therapy.

Dr. Pauza was the first recipient of the Edward Stiehm Award from the American Foundation for AIDS Research, a lifetime member of the Golden Key Society, and the UNESCO Professor of Biotechnology for the Year 2000. He has served on the scientific board of two companies and is active as a consultant and adviser to biotechnology and venture capital companies. He was co-chair of the Future Directions for AIDS Research meetings in 1993-1994 and along with Martin Delaney, Richard Marlink and Robert Gallo, convened public, private, and government sector individuals to confront crucial obstacles to the development and application of AIDS therapies, and he organized the 1994 Nonhuman Primate Models for AIDS meeting. Dr. Pauza has a long-standing interest in AIDS education, and worked with the American Red Cross for more than 12 years to conduct summer courses for high school teachers and AIDS educators, to enable them to deliver accurate and comprehensive portrayals of AIDS science and prevention lessons. Most recently, these classes were conducted by video-conferencing between Dr. Pauza in Baltimore and groups of South African teachers attending courses in Madison, Wisconsin, and next year he hopes to link directly with classrooms in South Africa. Dr. Pauza is a vocal advocate for science funding and education, and continues this effort in Maryland by presentations to public groups including local teachers, businessmen, and state legislators.

Since 1984 Dr. Pauza has been committed to basic research and education in support of the fight against AIDS. At the Institute of Human Virology, interdisciplinary collaborations within the Institute and its associates, create new opportunities to combat this deadly epidemic.

• Ph.D. - Virus Laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley, 1981.

• Postdoctoral Fellow - Laboratory of Molecular Biology at the Medical Research Council, Cambridge, England, 1981-1985.