Press room ... 2002 archive

Ben Cheng, Leading Community Expert on HIV/AIDS Treatment, to Join Forum for Collaborative HIV Research as Project Manager

April 14, 2002

San Francisco—Ben Cheng, who has worked closely with researchers, the pharmaceutical industry, and regulatory agencies to expedite the development and delivery of effective HIV treatments as Associate Director of the Information and Advocacy Department and Director of Antiviral Advocacy at Project Inform, is now a Project Manager for the Forum for Collaborative HIV Research at the Center for Health Services Policy and Research at The George Washington University.

"Ben's scientific knowledge, ability to stay focused on the issue at hand, and his experience working effectively with diverse stakeholders will prove invaluable as the Forum expands its scope into developing world issues and our work becomes more results and impact oriented," said Veronica Miller, Ph.D., the Forum's Director.

One of the projects Cheng will manage is the Forum's first international initiative, which focuses on transferring HIV monitoring and diagnostic technology to resource-poor settings in an effort to improve the medical management of patients on antiretroviral therapy in those regions.

During his nine years at Project Inform, Cheng worked on issues related to virology, pharmacology, clinical trial designs, antiviral drug development, drugs to treat and prevent viral opportunistic infections, and novel anti-HIV approaches. He has served on numerous advisory bodies as a consultant, member, community advisor and community representative, including the:

• Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Antiviral Drugs Advisory Committee,
• Blood Products Advisory Committee to the FDA,
• National Task Force on AIDS Drug Development (secretarial appointment),
• Community Constituency Group of the AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG),
• National Institutes of Health (NIH) Centers for AIDS Research review committee, and
• Scientific Advisory Committee of the EuroGuidelines.

Cheng is also a member of the Scientific Committee to the 3rd International Workshop on Adverse Drug Reactions and Lipodystrophy in HIV and served on the Scientific Program Committee for the 1995 and 1996 National Conference on Human Retroviruses and Related Infections and the Scientific Advisory Committee for the HIV Surrogate Marker Conference. Cheng also served on the Forum's Executive Committee prior to joining the staff.

"Ben has earned the deepest respect of doctors, patients, government and industry alike,&8221; said Martin Delaney, Project Inform's Founding Director. &8220;On virtually every subject related to HIV/AIDS treatment, Ben knows what is happening, who is doing it, and what to expect next. Indeed, Ben's depth of knowledge, his goodwill, and his dedication to duty are virtually unique.&8221;

&8220;I am especially grateful to Project Inform's leadership for helping to facilitate a smooth transition for Ben,&8221; said Miller. &8220;I know they take great pride in Ben's accomplishments to date and will continue to do so as he works on exciting new projects that will have a significant impact on the lives of people with HIV across the globe.&8221;

&8220;Ben has been an incredible asset to Project Inform and to all people living with HIV for nearly ten years,&8221; said Ellen LaPointe, Project Inform's Executive Director. &8220;He is a highly respected leader in AIDS advocacy work both nationally and internationally, and his ability to interpret and translate scientific concepts is extraordinary. We hate to see him go, but we are pleased that Ben will be continuing his important work at the Forum. We look forward to continued and enhanced collaborations with Ben and the Forum.&8221;

Cheng holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Northeastern University and a Masters of Science in Materials Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The Forum is comprised of representatives from all stakeholders in HIV clinical research and facilitates ongoing discussion and collaboration among these stakeholders to address critical unanswered questions about the optimal medical management of HIV disease and encourage coordination among public and private research efforts. The Forum's current and planned projects include:

• Monitoring Long-Term Toxicities of HIV Treatments;
• Definition of Antiretroviral Treatment Failure;
• Standardization and Clinical Relevance of HIV Drug Resistance Testing;
• Gender Issues in the Management of HIV Disease Care and Prevention;
• Racial and Ethnic Minority Issues in the Management of HIV Care and Prevention;
• Quality of HIV Care—Closing the Gap;
• Transfer of Diagnostic and Monitoring Technologies into Resource-Poor Settings;
• Establishing Collaborative Networks amongst HIV-related Academic Programs in Africa; and
• 1983-2003: How has HIV Changed over the Last 20 Years and What Changes Can We Predict for the Next 20 Years?

The Forum is located at the Center for Health Services Research and Policy (CHSRP) at The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services. All of the Forum's publications are available on its website: www.hivforum.org.