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Scientific American Names Dr. Nina Bhardwaj among Top 50 Outstanding Leaders in Science and Technology

NEW YORK, November 23, 2004 -- Nina Bhardwaj, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Medicine, Pathology, and Dermatology, and Director of the NYU Cancer Institute’s Tumor Vaccine Program, is listed in Scientific American magazine as one of 50 outstanding leaders in science and technology in 2004. Dr. Bhardwaj was named a Research Leader in Medical Treatment by the magazine for her contributions toward creating dendritic cell vaccines for fighting cancers and viruses such as HIV.

The “Scientific American 50” is published in the magazine’s December issue and the winners were honored at a celebration on November 16 at the New York Academy of Sciences in New York City.

The magazine hailed Dr. Bhardwaj as one of the world’s leading experts on dendritic cells who has significantly advanced prospects for dendritic cell vaccines with a series of discoveries about the cells’ properties and behavior. Dendritic cells, named for their finger-like projections, play a key role in priming the immune system. They capture foreign proteins called antigens from viruses or tumors, and then display the antigens to T-cells, the immune system’s attack cells, for future recognition and attack.

The ability of dendritic cells to prime the immune system makes them potentially powerful candidates for formulating therapeutic vaccines. Dr. Bhardwaj is currently conducting two clinical trials of dendritic cell vaccines in HIV patients and planning for another vaccine trial in melanoma patients.

Dr. Bhardwaj joins a distinguished group of scientists in the Scientific American 50 who are celebrated for their contributions to a wide variety of areas, from agriculture to computing. “Scientific American believes strongly that the best hope for a safer, healthier, more prosperous world rests in the enlightened use of technology,” says John Rennie, Editor-in-Chief of the magazine. “The Scientific American 50 is our annual opportunity to salute the people and organizations making that possible through their outstanding efforts as leaders of research, industry, and policymaking.”

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