Manitoba AIDS scientist honoured with prestigious award

Pioneering Winnipeg microbiologist Dr. Frank Plummer,whose work has led to many breakthroughs in HIV/AIDS research, is receiving another high honour for his life's work.

Plummer is being honoured with the Flavelle Medal by the Royal Society of Canada, for outstanding contributions to biological science.

"It's hugely exciting. Hugely gratifying to see all your years of work being recognized in this way," a proud Plummer told CBCRadio's Up to Speed Tuesday.

Plummer is a distinguished professor of medical microbiology at the University of Manitoba and former head of the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg.

He is perhaps best known for his work with a group of HIV-resistant sex workers in Kenya. He's credited with unravelling a mystery surrounding the women who possessed a natural immunity to HIV-1, the virus that leads to AIDS.

The research provided vital new information for HIV vaccineand drug development. The University of Manitoba said global interventions and campaigns have been built on his work that currently save the lives oftens of thousands of people annually.

Among his achievements in HIV/AIDS research, the work of Plummerand his research team has also helped identify the role ofsexually transmitted infections in enhancing and facilitating HIV infection,understanding the role of breastfeeding in the transmission of HIV from mothers to children, and the protective effect of male circumcision for HIV acquisition in men.

"Dr.Plummerhas had a tremendous and incalculable impact on global public health and the University of Manitoba is honoured to call Dr.Plummerone of our own," saidDigvir Jayas, vice-president (research and international) atthe University of Manitoba, in a press release.

"We congratulate him on this most deserved award that recognizes a lifetime of work that is incomparable to any other's."

Plummer is also an officer of the Order of Canada,a recipient ofthe McLaughlin Medal of the Royal Society of Canada, and a recipient of the Prix Galien Research Award.