Two amfAR-funded scientists reflect on origins of their scientific curiosity, the mentors that shaped their careers, and how they’re advancing the field
Women have driven groundbreaking medical discoveries and helped unravel some of science’s greatest mysteries. HIV research has been shaped by extraordinary women, including Nobel Laureate Dr. Françoise Barré-Sinoussi and amfAR founding chairman Dr. Mathilde Krim.
Today, two amfAR grantees, Dr. Ebony Gary and Dr. Carine Van Lint, are advancing that legacy. Although separated by generations and continents, Drs. Gary and Van Lint share the determination to tackle the most pressing questions in HIV science and a commitment to prepare the next generation of researchers.
For Dr. Gary, the first in her family to graduate from college, a childhood fascination with science fiction sparked an interest in infectious disease. Films like The Andromeda Strain and Outbreak stirred excitement of investigating mysterious pathogens and finding answers to seemingly impossible questions. Today, as an amfAR Mathilde Krim Fellow at The Wistar Institute in Philadelphia, she is tackling one of the field’s most persistent challenges: developing an effective HIV vaccine.
Dr. Gary has benefited significantly from supportive mentors who encouraged her to pursue and take ownership of ambitious ideas and recognize her own expertise. Furthermore, receiving the Krim Fellowship was critical external validation of her ability to develop and lead her own research.
For Dr. Gary, the award was an affirmation: “This is a good idea, and it’s yours, and you should pursue it.”
As she transitions to independence, Dr. Gary envisions building a supportive lab environment where trainees feel comfortable asking questions, making mistakes, and challenging assumptions—even her own. She wants young scientists, particularly those who may feel out of place in academia, to recognize their expertise and pursue ambitious ideas.
Across the Atlantic, Dr. Van Lint’s career journey began when her undergraduate professor’s palpable passion for virology research inspired her own. That early exposure sparked a fascination with, and a productive career dedicated to, understanding one of the greatest barriers to an HIV cure: the latent reservoir.
For nearly three decades, her research has helped illuminate how HIV can remain dormant inside infected cells. Her foundational discoveries helped inform the development of strategies and repurposing of existing drugs to awaken dormant HIV so that infected cells can be recognized and eliminated. This approach, often called “shock and kill,” remains an important avenue of HIV cure research.
Now, supported by an amfAR Target Grant, her laboratory at the University of Brussels is investigating how certain immune cells may inadvertently help HIV remain hidden, and how disrupting that activity could improve HIV cure strategies.
Dr. Van Lint credits the enthusiasm and encouragement of her early mentors with inspiring her commitment to HIV research. Now as an established investigator, she seeks to provide similar opportunities to younger scientists. She consistently strives to elevate her trainees, for example, sending postdoctoral researchers in her place to present at scientific conferences. As her career has progressed, she has become increasingly conscious of the responsibility that comes with scientific leadership, not only to advance her own research, but also to help the scientists working alongside her build successful careers.
Although at different stages of their careers, Drs. Gary and Van Lint share an unwavering commitment to advancing HIV research and helping the next generation of scientists do the same. Their stories reflect the breadth of amfAR’s investment in biomedical research—supporting promising investigators as they establish independence while enabling established scientists to pursue new avenues of discovery.
More recently, this includes supporting investigators with novel projects in fields adjacent to and intersecting with HIV because the impact of supporting diverse scientists also extends beyond their projects. The discoveries they make, the collaborations they establish, and the researchers they mentor can shape the direction of the scientific landscape for years to come. By investing in scientific talent at every career stage, amfAR is helping ensure that promising ideas have the opportunity to grow into meaningful discoveries, and that the next generation of researchers has the knowledge, encouragement, and opportunity to carry that work forward.
Dr. Kelsey Hopland is the program officer of amfAR’s research department.
