Barry R. Bloom, an immunologist at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York and an investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, last month received the first annual Bristol- Myers Squibb Award for Distinguished Achievement in Infectious Disease Research. The $50,000 cash prize was given in recognition of Bloom's contributions to immunology, including the development of an experimental recombinant multiple vaccine and investigations of leprosy and tuberculosis.
Throughout most of his career, Bloom's research has focused on health problems in developing countries. But this was not always the case. "I started out revolted by applied science," recalls Bloom. "I was going to be the most basic" of basic researchers. He changed his mind about the value of applied research on a trip to India in 1968, where, he says, "I gained perspective on the world, and what my training in medical research could do."
One aspect of this...
Interested in reading more?
Become a Member of
Receive full access to digital editions of The Scientist, as well as TS Digest, feature stories, more than 35 years of archives, and much more!
