Professor Sharon Lewin awarded Outstanding Female Researcher for 2022

Professor Sharon Lewin AO FAHMS, Director at the Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity and President of the International AIDS Society has been awarded the Outstanding Female Researcher Medal by the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences (AAHMS) for 2022.

Professor Lewin was recognised by AAHMS for her body of research and global leadership in the search for a cure to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and her contribution to the COVID-19 pandemic response.

Her research on HIV has transformed our understanding of how HIV can persist on antiviral treatment, and helped pioneer strategies to reverse and ultimately eliminate HIV.

She was one of the first researchers worldwide to demonstrate that HIV can ‘hide’ at low levels in HIV-infected people, referred to as ‘HIV latency’, even while on effective antiviral therapy. Her research and work on lab models of HIV latency are now used in the development of drugs to treat HIV.

Professor Lewin said “I am greatly honoured to have received this award and thank AAHMS for their recognition of my team’s work on HIV. I acknowledge all the wonderful students, research assistants, registrars, post-docs, collaborators and mentors I have had the great privilege to work with over the years.”

“I am indebted to people living with HIV, who have been so generous with their time in participating in our studies. Research is all about ideas, but it’s the people that make successful research possible—and also very enjoyable.”

Professor Lewin was also recognised by AAHMS for her recent leadership in Australia’s response to COVID-19, where she applied her deep knowledge of virology, immunology and public health to provide advice to the Victorian and federal governments, and to communicate to the public.