Thursday, September 27, 2012

Attended World Leaders Forum at the Low Library at Columbia University. On a panel with Wafaa El-Sadr, Eric Goosby and Michel Sidibe (Director, UNAIDS). Very enjoyable. Jenny attended. Discussed the potential end of AIDS. Oct. 6 – 10, 2012 – trip to South Africa mainly to participate in the opening of the Kwazulu-Natal Research Institute for TB and HIV (K-RITH) in Durban. Flew to Johannesburg and gave special lecture on Ending the AIDS Pandemic to the University of Witwatersrand. Then drove to Pretoria to participate in the 10th Anniversary of the PHIDISA project with the South Africa National Defense Force (SANDF). This program largely championed by Cliff Lane. Then flew to Durban to Open the K-RITH. Amazing architecture of the new building. Many luminaries present at the opening – Ron Daniels (Pres. of JHU), Pres. Of Mass. General, Rob Tjian – President of HHMI who funded the project. NIAID funds Bill Safai (PI of KRITH). Great dinner at the Oyster Box Hotel. I gave some after dinner remarks.