Michael C. Keefer, M.D.

Dr. Keefer has over 18 years of experience in the preventive HIV vaccine field, having served as Director of the University of Rochester's NIH-supported HIV Vaccine Trials Unit (HVTU) since 1991. Working initially as a laboratory investigator he was the first to demonstrate T-cell mediated immune responses to a candidate HIV vaccine. Subsequently he focused his attention on the design and conduct of clinical trials. When the HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN) expanded to include international sites in 1999, he assumed the position of the HVTN's Associate Director of Scientific Administration. In that role his duties include leadership of scientific and administrative committees and visits to international sites. Dr Keefer is also PI of an NIH-funded Program Project entitled "HSV-1 amplicon vectors for HIV vaccine delivery", a collaboration with Drs. Dewhurst, Mosmann, Federoff and Bowers.

Active Research

U01 AI069511
2/1/2007 – 11/30/2014
PI: Richard C. Reichman, MD
"Units for HIV/AIDS Clinical Trials Networks"
The goals of the of the CTU are to develop a vaccine that will prevent HIV infection or delay the onset of symptomatic disease (HVTN) and to develop more effective treatments for established HIV infection in a variety of patient populations (ACTG).
Role: Co-Investigator, Director of HIV Vaccine Trials Clinical Research Site

U01 AI068614
6/29/2006 – 5/31/2013
PI: L Corey, M.D.
NIH/NIAID
Subcontract to University of Rochester (via Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA)
Title: "HVTN Associate Director of Scientific Administration",
The major goal is to establish a Vaccine Leadership Group to direct and coordinate the HIV Vaccine Trials Network's (HVTN) work in domestic and international settings. Dr. Keefer functions in a 40% FTE capacity as a key member of the network's Core Operations Center, focused primarily on the establishment and execution of the network's scientific agenda for Phase I/II studies.
Role: PI of Subcontract at Rochester


P01 AI056356, HIV Vaccine Research and Design
NIH/NIAID
Title: "HSV-1 Amplicon Vectors for HIV Vaccine Delivery"
PI: MC Keefer, M.D.
1/1/2003 – 12/31/2008
The overall goal of this Program Project is to develop an HIV vaccine strategy based on the HSV-1 amplicon vector, and to test this approach in small and large animal models. The HSV amplicon vector will be tested alone and in combination with a DNA vaccine provided by the NIAID Vaccine Research Center. The proposal includes 3 projects (immunogenicity in mice/guinea pigs; immunogenicity/protection in macaques; enhancement of amplicon technology) and 3 cores (administrative; immunologic; vector production).


P30 AI-078498, Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) program
NIH
Title: "University of Rochester Developmental Center for AIDS Research (D-CFAR)"
PI: S Dewhurst, Ph.D.
5/1/2008 – 4/30/2013
The primary mission of the University of Rochester D-CFAR is to raise the overall quality and quantity of HIV/AIDS research at the UR. This objective will be achieved by the establishment of four interconnected core facilities (Administrative Core, Developmental Core, Clinical Science Core and Basic Science Core) that synergize with the UR Clinical and Translational Science Institute to provide new opportunities for collaboration among establish investigators and those who are new to the field. Major goals are to augment the availability of biostatistical and data management services, to increase the use of mathematical modeling in HIV/AIDS research and to establish new collaborations between UR investigators and colleagues at the University of Witwatersrand and University of Cape Town in South Africa.
Role: Co-PI of D-CFAR, Director of 'Clinical Sciences Core', and Leader of 'International Collaboration Committee'.