The news of the first Zika case in Pierce County—the 14th in Washington State—reminds us that the spread of disease is inevitable. While we don’t have in our region the kind of mosquito that transmits Zika, the latest infected patient returned from a visit to Puerto Rico. Thanks to modern travel, whether by mosquitoes or … Continue reading “The Outbreaks Are Here, Where’s Our Response Plan?”
Author: Steve Reed
Steve Reed is the founder, president and chief scientific officer of Seattle-based IDRI. He co-founded Seattle-based Immune Design, a startup vaccine developer. Previously, Dr. Reed co-founded Corixa Corporation in 1994, where he served as Chief Scientific Officer until leaving in 2004. His academic appointments include Professor of Medicine at Cornell University Medical College in New York and Research Professor of Pathobiology at the University of Washington. He serves on several editorial review committees, has served as a member of the Tropical Medicine Review Board of the National Institutes of Health, and is a member of the Vaccine Development Steering Committee of the World Health Organization.
Dr. Reed was born in rural eastern Washington, graduated from Whitman College in 1973, and received a Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of Montana in 1979. That year he was appointed as Scientist of the National Institute of Amazon Research in Manaus, Brazil, where he directed research on tropical diseases. Dr. Reed joined Cornell University Medical College in 1980 as Assistant Professor of Medicine, continuing to work in Brazil as manager of the Cornell-Bahia program in International Medicine. He joined the Seattle Biomedical Research Institute in 1984 where he worked until founding IDRI in 1993. Dr. Reed’s research interests have focused on the immunology of intracellular infections, and on the development of vaccines and diagnostics for both cancer and infectious diseases. He has more than 170 original articles, several book chapters, and holds 59 issued patents for diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics of infectious diseases and cancer.
Brazil: Ready for Future Growth in Health Care
The eyes of the world are on Brazil. It is one of the most dynamic countries in the southern hemisphere; the sixth-largest economy in the world; and host of the World Cup, now drawing to a close. In 2016, Brazil will host the Summer Olympics. The World Cup is bringing attention to Brazil, and being … Continue reading “Brazil: Ready for Future Growth in Health Care”
Using Cutting-Edge Science and Technology Against an Age-Old Disease
When I started working on the research and science of leprosy more than a decade ago, people thought this chronic infectious disease would eliminate itself and burn out over time. We didn’t have time for that. Why? Nearly 250,000 new cases of leprosy are diagnosed every year, and many more go undetected. Approximately 10 percent … Continue reading “Using Cutting-Edge Science and Technology Against an Age-Old Disease”
Leprosy 2013 – The Problem and the Solutions
Leprosy – still a problem? The answer is yes. Every year, an estimated quarter million people worldwide – mostly in Africa, Asia and Latin America – are diagnosed with leprosy, a cruel disease that leaves its victims maimed, crippled, disfigured and blind, often with terrible quality of life. Sunday, Jan. 27, is set aside as … Continue reading “Leprosy 2013 – The Problem and the Solutions”