Bill Diplas

Whitaker International Fellow, 2009-10

Home Institution: Institute of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University

Host Country, Institution: Switzerland, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne

Project Title: Development of a Polymeric Microbicide for Protection Against the Transmission of HIV

Project Abstract:

My proposed project for the Whitaker International Fellows Program is to work on developing a polymer-based microbicide for the specific application of prevention of HIV transmission. The microbicide would be biospecific to the vaginal mucosa as well as the viral envelope of HIV, without the use of costly antiviral drugs. In this way, it would act as an effective method of protection and meet the demands for use in the developing world.