Glen M. Chew’s research has identified a way to “release the brakes” and reverse defects in viral-specific immune cells that keep them from killing HIV-infected cells. Chew received the Honolulu Chapter’s 2016 Koenig Award in Medicine.

“Our findings will give new directions to vaccines and therapies that will potentially reverse these dysfunctional cells and allow them to control HIV-1 replication, but also serve in “Shock and Kill” HIV curative strategies,” he wrote as lead author in a PLOS Pathogens article published this year. He presented his findings at the 2015 International AIDS Society conference in Vancouver.

Glen is pursuing a PhD in biomedical sciences (tropical medicine) at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa’s John A. Burns School of Medicine, with a target graduation date of August 2017. A San Francisco native, he holds a BSc in biology (microbiology) from San Francisco State University. He enjoys exploring technologies behind science, working on cars and motorcycles and walking his dog.

“This prestigious ARCS Scholar award will help purchase reagents for experiments, books and analysis software,” he said.