Lawrence Eron
Encyclopedia
Lawrence Eron, MD is an infectious disease
specialist practicing in Honolulu, Hawaii
. In 2009 he received the Clinician Award from the Infectious Diseases Society of America
"for outstanding achievements in the clinical practice of infectious diseases."
He graduated summa cum laude from Princeton University
in 1966 with a degree in Biochemistry. He then spent a year doing post-graduate research in microbiology at the University of Cambridge
in England before attending Harvard Medical School
in 1967. While at Harvard Medical School, he worked on a research team with the American geneticist, Jonathan Beckwith, and in 1969, the team successfully isolated a single gene from a bacterial chromosome. They are credited as the first researchers to accomplish isolation of a single gene according to an article that appeared in the New York Times on December 8, 1969. He subsequently graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Medical School in 1971 and then performed his internship, residency, and fellowship in infectious diseases at the Massachusetts General Hospital
in Boston from 1971 to 1975.
From 1976 to 1978, Eron served as a senior investigator at the Bureau of Biologics of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) prior to entering private practice in Virginia. He founded an infectious diseases private practice with Donald Poretz in 1978. Together with Poretz, they were the first to recognize the potential value of outpatient intravenous antibiotic therapy for clinically stable patients. They also cared for an ill animal handler in Reston, Virginia, from a laboratory that experienced an outbreak of the deadly Ebola
virus. This real-life event became the basis of a best-selling book, The Hot Zone
and the fictional 1995 Hollywood movie Outbreak
.
On October 1, 1985, the New York Times featured Eron in an article about his then novel approach to treating genital warts caused by the Human Papillomavirus
(HPV). Eron and his colleagues used the anti-viral hormone, interferon
, to clear patients of genital warts. Over a 9 month period, 85% of Eron's patients were cleared and remained free of genital warts.
Since 1998, Eron has served as an Infectious Disease Consultant at Kaiser Moanalua Medical Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. In his current post at Kaiser, Eron is recognized as one of the early pioneers of telemedicine
, which has been particularly useful in treating patients who live in geographically remote regions in the Pacific, without immediate access to hospitals and other healthcare facilities. He is also an Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Hawaii
.
Infectious disease
Infectious diseases, also known as communicable diseases, contagious diseases or transmissible diseases comprise clinically evident illness resulting from the infection, presence and growth of pathogenic biological agents in an individual host organism...
specialist practicing in Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. Honolulu is the southernmost major U.S. city. Although the name "Honolulu" refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and county government are consolidated as the City and...
. In 2009 he received the Clinician Award from the Infectious Diseases Society of America
Infectious Diseases Society of America
The Infectious Diseases Society of America is a medical association representing physicians, scientists and other health care professionals who specialize in infectious diseases. As of 2010, IDSA had approximately 9,000 members...
"for outstanding achievements in the clinical practice of infectious diseases."
He graduated summa cum laude from Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
in 1966 with a degree in Biochemistry. He then spent a year doing post-graduate research in microbiology at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
in England before attending Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School is the graduate medical school of Harvard University. It is located in the Longwood Medical Area of the Mission Hill neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts....
in 1967. While at Harvard Medical School, he worked on a research team with the American geneticist, Jonathan Beckwith, and in 1969, the team successfully isolated a single gene from a bacterial chromosome. They are credited as the first researchers to accomplish isolation of a single gene according to an article that appeared in the New York Times on December 8, 1969. He subsequently graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Medical School in 1971 and then performed his internship, residency, and fellowship in infectious diseases at the Massachusetts General Hospital
Massachusetts General Hospital
Massachusetts General Hospital is a teaching hospital and biomedical research facility in the West End neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts...
in Boston from 1971 to 1975.
From 1976 to 1978, Eron served as a senior investigator at the Bureau of Biologics of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) prior to entering private practice in Virginia. He founded an infectious diseases private practice with Donald Poretz in 1978. Together with Poretz, they were the first to recognize the potential value of outpatient intravenous antibiotic therapy for clinically stable patients. They also cared for an ill animal handler in Reston, Virginia, from a laboratory that experienced an outbreak of the deadly Ebola
Ebola
Ebola virus disease is the name for the human disease which may be caused by any of the four known ebolaviruses. These four viruses are: Bundibugyo virus , Ebola virus , Sudan virus , and Taï Forest virus...
virus. This real-life event became the basis of a best-selling book, The Hot Zone
The Hot Zone
The Hot Zone is a best-selling 1994 non-fiction bio-thriller by Richard Preston about the origins and incidents involving viral hemorrhagic fevers, particularly ebolaviruses and marburgviruses...
and the fictional 1995 Hollywood movie Outbreak
Outbreak
Outbreak is a term used in epidemiology to describe an occurrence of disease greater than would otherwise be expected at a particular time and place. It may affect a small and localized group or impact upon thousands of people across an entire continent. Two linked cases of a rare infectious...
.
On October 1, 1985, the New York Times featured Eron in an article about his then novel approach to treating genital warts caused by the Human Papillomavirus
Human papillomavirus
Human papillomavirus is a member of the papillomavirus family of viruses that is capable of infecting humans. Like all papillomaviruses, HPVs establish productive infections only in keratinocytes of the skin or mucous membranes...
(HPV). Eron and his colleagues used the anti-viral hormone, interferon
Interferon
Interferons are proteins made and released by host cells in response to the presence of pathogens—such as viruses, bacteria, or parasites—or tumor cells. They allow communication between cells to trigger the protective defenses of the immune system that eradicate pathogens or tumors.IFNs belong to...
, to clear patients of genital warts. Over a 9 month period, 85% of Eron's patients were cleared and remained free of genital warts.
Since 1998, Eron has served as an Infectious Disease Consultant at Kaiser Moanalua Medical Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. In his current post at Kaiser, Eron is recognized as one of the early pioneers of telemedicine
Telemedicine
Telemedicine is the use of telecommunication and information technologies in order to provide clinical health care at a distance. It helps eliminate distance barriers and can improve access to medical services that would often not be consistently available in distant rural communities...
, which has been particularly useful in treating patients who live in geographically remote regions in the Pacific, without immediate access to hospitals and other healthcare facilities. He is also an Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Hawaii
University of Hawaii
The University of Hawaii System, formally the University of Hawaii and popularly known as UH, is a public, co-educational college and university system that confers associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees through three university campuses, seven community college campuses, an employment...
.