Arthur J. Ammann Explained

Arthur J. Ammann
Birth Date:12 August 1936
Birth Place:Brooklyn, New York City, United States
Death Place:San Rafael, California, United States
Field:Pediatric immunology
Alma Mater:Wheaton College (BS)
New Jersey Medical School (MD)

Arthur J. Ammann (August 12, 1936 – August 15, 2021) was an American pediatric immunologist and advocate known for his research on HIV transmission, discovering Latin: in utero|nocat=y transmission and the risk of contaminated transfusions and blood products,[1] and his role in the development of the first successful vaccine to prevent pneumococcal infection in 1977. He founded Global Strategies for HIV Prevention and was Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at the UCSF Medical Center.[2]

Education

Ammann was born in Brooklyn, New York, to German parents, neither of whom finished grade school.[3] He graduated from Brooklyn Technical High School and attended Wheaton College in Illinois, continuing on to study medicine at New Jersey Medical School, where he received his M.D. in 1962.[4] Ammann later became the first pediatric immunologist at UCSF, where he served his residency in pediatrics.[5]

Research

Early research

In 1966, for the first time, Ammann and Richard E. Stiehm documented Immunoglobulin A (IgA) as the major immunoglobulin class in breastmilk, present in high concentrations in colostrum mature breastmilk. They postulated that the protection afforded to infants by breast-feeding was a result of exposure to local antibodies contained within IgA rather than absorption of maternal antibody into these infants circulation.[6]

Ammann, Stiehm and James D. Cherry identified that there are elevated levels of Immunoglobulin M (IgM) in the cord blood of newborn infants born with the congenital rubella syndrome. This was a major step forward in understanding the fetal immune response and developing diagnostic tools to differentiate between in utero infection with infectious agents such as rubella, toxoplasmosis and cytomegalovirus from infections acquired following birth.[7]

In 1973, Ammann led his research team to perform the first successful reconstitution of T-cell immunity in a patient with severe combined immunodeficiency. This was achieved through fetal thymus transplantation. This study demonstrated that the thymus holds only the potential of developing T cells and will not result in reconstitution of B cell immunity as was subsequently shown by others who utilized bone marrow transplantation, which contained multi-potential stem cells.[8]

Working with E. R. Giblett in 1972, Ammann described the first patient with purine nucleoside phosphorylase deficiency in association with a unique genetic profile that included depressed T-cell immunity with normal levels of immunoglobulins. The resulting publication was listed as one of the 500 most widely cited articles in 1984. Ammann's discovery represented an essential step to understanding new treatments for immunodeficiency diseases and developing drugs that could interfere with the immune response.[9]

Pneumococcal vaccine

From 1971 to 1985, Ammann was director of Pediatric Immunology and Clinical Research Center at UCSF. It was during this period that Ammann performed a series of clinical trials aimed at protecting children with sickle cell anemia and the elderly from pneumococcal infection, a bacterium that causes fatal infection.[1] He and his colleagues were successful in creating the first U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved vaccine effective against the bacteria; it granted individuals immunity against a life-threatening infection.[10] Ammann's vaccine has since been expanded and its immunogenicity has been improved, increasing the effectiveness of the vaccine in young infants. This discovery has saved the lives of millions[11] of individuals by preventing pneumococcal infection, particularly in children and the elderly.

HIV transmission and treatment

In 1981, while working at UCSF in a lab that could perform the immunologic tests needed to detect immunodeficiency in AIDS patients,[1] Ammann observed immunodeficiency disorders in children that mirrored those of gay men who had contracted the Human Immunodeficiency Virus.[3] Ammann's investigations into the cause of the symptoms led him to identify two new means of transmission, Latin: in utero mother to infant and blood transfusions.[1] With the medical community wanting not to believe that AIDS could affect infants, Ammann's initial publication blood transfusion infection was rejected by prominent medical journals.[1] This discovery changed the perception of HIV/AIDS as an epidemic solely within the gay community.[2]

In 1985, Ammann left his position at UCSF in order to work with the biotechnology firm, Genentech. There he developed clinical products focused on HIV/AIDS,[12] and although while with Genentech a successful vaccine was not developed,[3] [13] the discoveries made by Ammann's research team were used by other researchers in a partially successful study performed in Thailand in 2009.[14]

In 1994, Ammann was selected to become a member of the Presidential National AIDS Task Force on Drug and Vaccine Development.[15] Three years later, in 1996, he was recognized by POZ magazine as one of the fifty most influential AIDS researchers.[16]

Advocacy

Ammann spent much of his life fighting injustices within the health care system, nationally and internationally. From 1992 to 1996 he served as director of research programs for the Pediatric AIDS Foundation.[12] Ammann was also the chairman of the Conference on Global Strategies for Prevention of HIV Transmission from Mothers to Infants.[15]

Ammann became a member of the American Foundation for AIDS Research (AmFAR) Board of directors in 1988, and was also appointed chairman of the AmFAR scientific advisory committee.[17] From 1997 to 1998 Ammann served as president of AmFAR.[5] In these positions, Ammann fought for an increase in research funding in HIV, in particular for women and children, and the development of more cost-effective treatments.[18]

In 1997, Ammann founded Global Strategies for HIV Prevention.[19] In his position as president, Ammann advocated for the needs of the most marginalized populations that are affected by the HIV epidemic. The organization is aimed at helping to prevent HIV transmission from mothers to infants in order to slow the spread of the HIV virus.[19]

Death

Ammann died in San Rafael, California, on August 15, 2021, three days after his 85th birthday.[1] [20]

Selected awards and honors

Selected publications

Notes and References

  1. News: Global Strategies Founder Dr. Arthur Ammann: 1936–2021 . August 18, 2021 . August 18, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210818111058/https://www.globalstrategies.org/news/global-strategies-founder-dr-arthur-ammann-1936-2021 . live .
  2. https://archive.today/20121211103939/http://www.stanford.edu/group/sjph/cgi-bin/sjphsite/2012/02/the-littlest-index-case-how-pediatric-patients-in-san-francisco-helped-decode-hivaids/ "The Littlest Index Case: How Pediatric Patients in San Francisco Helped Decode HIV/AIDS"
  3. http://www.voanews.com/content/pioneering-pediatrician-arthur-ammann---83553312/163713.html "Pioneering Pediatrician Leads Charge to Cut Infant HIV Infections."
  4. http://www.umdnj.edu/acadweb/dist-alum.htm "Distinguished Alumnus/Alumna Awards"
  5. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/11/29/DDNA1AQNIO.DTL "Eminent Doctor Chooses Service Over Retirement."
  6. Ammann . A. J. . Stiehm . E. R. . Immune Globulin Levels in Colostrum and Breast Milk, and Serum From Fomula- and Breast-Fed Newborns. . Experimental Biology and Medicine . Frontiers Media SA . 122 . 4 . 1966-08-01 . 1535-3702 . 10.3181/00379727-122-31335 . 1098–1100.
  7. http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM196611032751801 "Elevated cord macroglobulins in the diagnosis of intrauterine infections."
  8. http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM197307052890102 Thymus transplantation. Permanent reconstitution of cellular immunity in a patient with sex-linked combined immunodeficiency.
  9. Giblett ER, Ammann AJ, Sandman R, Wara DW, Diamond LK. "Nucleoside-phosphorylase deficiency in a child with severely defective T-cell immunity and normal B-cell immunity". The Lancet, 1:2020–1014, 1975.
  10. "Marin Doctor Cited on Sickle Cell Work" George Nevin. Independent Journal. Published October 27, 1977.
  11. "Dr. Arthur Ammann M.D."Global Strategies for HIV Prevention Retrieved May 22, 2012.
  12. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/11/29/DDNA1AQNIO.DTL "Honored Physician an Expert in HIV/AIDS Transmission and Treatment."
  13. http://www2.wheaton.edu/alumni/magazine/spring2003.pdf "AIDS: Our Samaritan Call."
  14. http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMe0909972 HIV Vaccine Trial Results — An Opening for Further Research
  15. http://dev.iasusa.gotpantheon.com/faculty-profile/162 "Arthur J. Ammann, MD"
  16. Pacheco . Patrick . Lederer . Bob . The POZ 50 Most Innovative AIDS Researchers . POZ Magazine . August/September 1996 . August 22, 2021 . en . August 1, 1996 . August 22, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210822142839/https://www.poz.com/article/The-POZ-50-Most-Innovative-AIDS-Researchers-1805-3023 . live .
  17. "A Message from the Foundation; AmFAR's New President, Dr. Arthur J. Ammann, Shares His Vision for the Future of AIDS Research." The AmFAR Newsletter. Spring 1997. Volume 2.
  18. http://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?collection=journals&handle=hein.journals/clrj18&div=24&id=&page= "Spotlight On: American Foundation for AIDS Research."
  19. "Saving Lives, 85 Cents at a Time." Update, New York Academy of Sciences Magazine. November/December 2002. Page 11.
  20. Web site: Remembering Dr. Arthur Ammann . 2024-02-19 . UCSF School of Medicine . en . February 19, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240219101348/https://medschool.ucsf.edu/news/remembering-dr-arthur-ammann . live .
  21. Web site: Past Award Recipients . www.societyforpediatricresearch.org . Society for Pediatric Research . August 22, 2021 . August 22, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210822141946/https://www.societyforpediatricresearch.org/past-award-recipients/#toggle-id-4 . live .
  22. Web site: Distinguished Alumnus\Alumna Award Recipients . umdnj.edu . University Office of Academic Affair, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey . August 22, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120229033138/http://www.umdnj.edu/acadweb/dist-alum.htm . February 29, 2012.
  23. Web site: Remembering Dr. Arthur Ammann . www.amfar.org . . August 22, 2021 . August 22, 2021.
  24. Web site: Arthur Ammann UCSF Profiles. profiles.ucsf.edu. March 12, 2020. September 29, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200929213213/https://profiles.ucsf.edu/arthur.ammann. live.
  25. Web site: TAG at Ten: The Year 2001 . Treatment Action Group . August 22, 2021 . 2001.
  26. Web site: Distinguished Service to Society . alumni.wheaton.edu . Wheaton College . August 22, 2021 . en . 2007 Dr. Arthur Ammann '58 Medical Doctor, HIV/AIDS Research Pioneer . July 1, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240701231125/https://alumni.wheaton.edu/s/1156/MRD18/interior.aspx?sid=1156&gid=1&pgid=314 . live .
  27. July 16, 2015 . Dr. Arthur J. Ammann '58 2007 Distinguished Service to Society Award . EN . August 22, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210822144911/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q39iLiRtAF4 . August 22, 2021 . YouTube . Wheaton College . live .
  28. Web site: Arthur Ammann . Encore Careers . August 22, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120325045715/http://www.encore.org/arthur-ammann . March 25, 2012 . March 25, 2012.
  29. Web site: Medtronic Announces Ten Bakken Invitation Honorees . Medtronic . GlobeNewswire News Room . August 22, 2021 . en . October 14, 2013 . Arthur Ammann, 76, San Rafael, Calif., United States. Just days after surviving sudden cardiac arrest and receiving his first pacemaker, Arthur reflected on his life and career and decided he would use his "extra time" to help improve health conditions in impoverished regions. He founded Global Strategies for HIV to meet prevention and care needs in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zimbabwe and Liberia. . August 22, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210822163321/https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2013/10/14/1891549/0/en/Medtronic-Announces-Ten-Bakken-Invitation-Honorees.html . live .
  30. Web site: ARTHUR AMMANN . 2013 BAKKEN INVITATION HONOREE . Medtronic, Inc. . https://web.archive.org/web/20140520220546/http://bakkeninvitation.medtronic.com/honorees-winners/arthur_ammann/index.htm . May 20, 2014.

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