International Society Recognizes Charles C.J. Carpenter with Prestigious “Lifetime of Leadership” Award

Posted Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Honored by International Antiviral Society-USA for pioneering work in HIV medicine and global health

Charles C. J. Carpenter, MD

The International Antiviral Society-USA (IAS-USA) has awarded Charles C. J. Carpenter, MD, director of the Lifespan/Tufts/Brown Center for AIDS Research at The Miriam Hospital, the IAS-USA Lifetime of Leadership Award for his outstanding impact on the fields of global health, HIV medicine and research. Carpenter was honored on November 8, 2012, at the Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) Directors Meeting in San Francisco, California.

The IAS-USA Lifetime of Leadership Award recognizes individuals who have made extraordinary and lasting contributions to the field of HIV medicine through scientific and academic leadership, as well as physician education and training, to improve the treatment and care for people infected with HIV or other viral infections. “Chuck Carpenter’s contributions have literally impacted the lives of millions of people, both globally and right here in Rhode Island,” said Arthur J. Sampson, president of The Miriam Hospital. “He has devoted his career to promoting the health of some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged patients, ensuring they receive quality, compassionate care. He is incredibly deserving of this honor and we couldn’t be more proud.”

The society cited Carpenter’s many years of service and leadership, including his guidance as chair of the Antiretroviral Treatment Panel of the IAS-USA from 1995 to 2000. In that role, he authored recommendations on antiretroviral treatment, published annually in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). They also call Carpenter a “pioneer in global-health efforts, a revered mentor to medical researchers and clinicians worldwide, and a model of uncompromising principles and extraordinary grace.”

Carpenter’s interest in infectious diseases began as a student and teacher of cholera. In 1962, he started the Johns Hopkins Cholera Research program in Calcutta, India, where he demonstrated the value of antibiotics and defined the fluid requirements essential for the treatment of cholera. The advances his group made in oral rehydration therapy in developing countries were quickly adopted around the world.

Arriving in Providence in 1986, Carpenter was named physician-in-chief at The Miriam Hospital and professor of medicine at Brown University. Within a year, he established the Immunology Center at The Miriam Hospital under the belief that all individuals battling HIV deserved access to the very best care available. The Center quickly became a major clinical research and education center for medical students, residents and fellows, as well as healthcare professionals from developing nations.

In the early years of the AIDS epidemic, Carpenter was one of the first to see how the virus was not only affecting gay men, but also how it was spreading within prisons and increasing in prevalence among women. In 1987, he initiated a unique program in which Miriam Hospital physicians assumed responsibility for all HIV care in the Rhode Island state prison system. This program now includes elective rotations for medical students, resident physicians and subspecialty fellows.

Research remains a primary focus for Carpenter and he is the principal investigator and founding director of the Lifespan/Tufts/Brown Center for AIDS Research. Based at The Miriam Hospital, the CFAR is one just 21 centers located at leading AIDS research institutions nationwide, and is one of only 10 CFAR sites to receive continuous National Institutes of Health (NIH) support since the program’s inception in 1988. He is also principal investigator for the SUN study, a national, multi-site project that is the first longitudinal study to attempt to understand the natural history of HIV in the era of effective treatment.

Carpenter has served as chairman of the American Board of Internal Medicine, editor of the first seven editions of Cecil Essentials of Medicine, president of the Association of American Physicians, chair of the Treatment Subcommittee of the Congressionally mandated National Academy of Science/Institute of Medicine Committee to evaluate the President’s Emergency Plan for HIV/AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), and as a member of the NIH AIDS Executive Committee, the National Advisory Allergy and Infectious Diseases Council, and the USPHS AIDS Task Force.

In 1998, Carpenter was awarded the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold and Silver Star, by the Emperor of Japan for his outstanding contributions to the Japan-United States Cooperative Medical Science Program. In 2007, he was awarded the Robert H. Williams, M.D. Distinguished Chair of Medicine Award by the Association of Professors of Medicine. He was also the recipient of the Rosenberger Medal by Brown University in 2009.

Carpenter's teaching efforts reach far beyond Rhode Island as he frequently makes trips to India, Vietnam, Kenya and Cambodia to help institute and facilitate HIV drug treatment programs and education.

He resides in Barrington, Rhode Island, with his wife, Sally.

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