Noteworthy:

Dr Dimitrios P Kontoyiannis, past ICHS president, is pleased to share the recent Aspergillosis in SCT guidelines that they were just published from The American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, where  he had the honor to serve as the senior chair of the writing committee.

These short guidelines might be useful for the SCT, Leuk ID rotations as they try to put a (relative) structure to a complex and rapidly changing area, in view of the drug-drug interactions we see with leukemia/lymphoma/SCT drugs.

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Dr Dimitrios P Kontoyiannis, past ICHS president, is pleased to share the Core Recommendations for Antifungal Stewardship (to be published as supplement in JID Sept 1, 2020) he spearheaded on behalf of the Mycoses Study Group Education and Research Consortium (MSGERC).

in memoriam

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Robert William Finberg, MD

We sadly regret to announce that Robert W. Finberg, MD, distinguished professor of medicine and chair emeritus of the Department of Medicine, UMass Medical School, died unexpectedly on August 30, 2021 at the age of 71.

Dr Finberg was a personable individual with an approachable style that made him an effective leader, clinician, researcher, teacher and colleague. He was an ardent supporter of the ICHS and its mission to improve outcomes for the immunocompromised host. He served as a Council member from 2012 to 2016 and regularly attended ICHS meetings. He facilitated NIH grants for junior colleagues and those from developing countries to attend the ICHS meetings. Dr Finberg was an Infectious Disease clinician specializing in the care of immunocompromised hosts, and in particular, cancer patients, and transplant recipients. As one of the nation’s foremost virologists, his professional contributions included more than 300 publications, more than 40 years of continuous NIH funding and numerous research grants from the Department of Defense, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and others. His research was in the area of virus receptors, host responses to viruses, and the development of new approaches to the study of evolution of viruses as well as antiviral and anti-bacterial agents.

With the advent of the coronavirus pandemic, Dr. Finberg quickly became a valuable resource providing clear, concise and insightful expertise and invaluable guidance in uncertain times. He served as principal investigator on more than half a dozen COVID-19 clinical trials including those to test the safety and effectiveness of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine and remdesivir as a treatment for those with severe COVID-19 illness.

Dr Finberg was a devoted husband, father and grandfather with many friends in the Immunocompromised Host community. The ICHS International Council extends our deepest condolences to Dr. Finberg’s family in his unexpected loss.

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The International Immunocompromised Host Society sadly announces that Francisco M. Marty, MD passed from this life on April 8, 2021 due to an accident while vacationing in the Dominican Republic. Francisco was kind and upbeat and was a true Transplant/Oncology ID leader, who will be remembered as a brilliant mentor to many. Francisco was a dedicated clinician and teacher, particularly in the field of diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of infectious diseases in immunocompromised patients. His contributions to the field are enormous, with participation in over 170 peer reviewed publications including several seminal cutting-edge contributions in the world's best journals. In addition to his dedication to his patients and to his scientific research, Francisco was a passionate photographer. ICHS sends its condolences to his family and friends. May he rest in peace.

Please visit "Farewell, Franscisco" in an editorial penned by our current ICHS president Hans H. Hirsch. 

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