NIH is made up of 27 Institutes and Centers, each with a specific research agenda, often focusing on particular diseases or body systems. NIAID is the second largest NIH Institute with a Global Research fund of $700 million US dollars to support the discoveries of scientists in the United States and around the world who are helping to improve the health of millions of people, advance public health policy and clinical practice.
Heading the NIAID/NIH Delegation was F. Gray Handley, M.S.P.H.(Master of Science in Public Health), Associate Director for International Research Affairs and official representative of NIH; Dr. Joseph Campbell, Research Resources Project Officer at the Biodefense Research Resources Section; and Joyelle Dominique, Europe Program Officer at the Office of Global Research (OGR).
NIAID/NIH Delegation’s visit to Poland began at MUW’s Clinic of Infectious Diseases in Adults located in the Voivode Hospital of Infectious Diseases. Prof. Andrzej Horban, Head of the Clinic welcomed the delegation along with Prof. Alicja Wiercińska-Drapało, Head of the Clinic of Infectious and Tropical Diseases and Hepatology, Prof. Magdalena Marczyńska, Head of the Clinic of Infectious Diseases in Children and Prof. Marek Radkowski, Head of the Department of Immunopathology of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases. Following a series of presentations, the Delegation was given a tour of the Hospital’s laboratories and unit for HIV-infected patients. Prof. Horban emphasized the significance of NIAID/NIH Delegation’s visit to the Clinic which has been a recipient of NIH grants for many years.
Next, the NIAID/NIH Delegation met with Medical University of Warsaw’s Vice-Rector for Internationalization, Promotion and Development, Prof. Krzysztof J. Filipiak who gave a presentation about MUW and later introduced the University’s heads of units, professors and researchers dedicated to the study of infectious diseases: Prof. Andrzej Górski, member of the Polish government team for Polish-American cooperation in the field of biomedicine; Prof. Andrzej Horban, Prof. Alicja Wiercińska-Drapało, Prof. Magdalena Marczyńska, Prof. Marek Radkowski, Prof. Bolesław Samoliński, Dean of the Faculty of Postdoctoral Studies (CKP), Prof. Dominika Nowis, BASTION (Basic to Translational Research in Oncology) grant recipient and project leader, Prof. Krzysztof Mucha, from the Clinic of Immunology, Transplantology and Internal Diseases; Justyna Kowalska, MD, PhD, from the Clinic of Infectious Diseases in Adults; Jarosław Biliński, MD, PhD, from the Department of Hematology, Oncology and Internal Diseases, Tomasz Mikuła, DMedSc, from the Clinic of Infectious and Tropical Diseases and Hepatology, and Maciej Przybylski, DMedSc, from the Department of Medical Microbiology. Assisting in the meeting were also Michał Cegiełkowski, Coordinator of Internationalization, Promotion and Development and Lidia Przepióra-Dziewulska, Head of International Cooperation Department.
During the meeting, Dr. Joseph Campbell and Joyelle Dominique outlined the main activities of the NIAID/NIH and the possible areas of cooperation to be explored.
In concluding the meeting, Vice-Rector Filipiak emphasized the importance of NIAID/NIH Delegation’s visit to Medical University of Warsaw as opening new opportunities for MUW’s scientific staff to cooperate with a world-class institution like NIAID/NIH. Prof. Filipiak expressed anticipation of his University working closely with NIAID/NIH for the advancement of biomedical studies and public health.
