MD, University of the Philippines College of Medicine; Internal Medicine Residency, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA; Infectious Diseases Fellowship, focus on International Infectious Diseases, University Hospitals Case Medical Center and Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA; Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Case Western Reserve University
Areas of Current Research: Molecular Epidemiology of HIV, Infections in Immunocompromised Hosts, Global Health
Dr. Salvana is a multi-awarded and internationally recognized scientist, physician, and HIV/AIDS advocate who returned to the Philippines under the Balik (Returning) Scientist Program of the Department of Science and Technology to work on tropical medicine and other local infectious diseases. Prior to his return, he did research on the molecular pathogenesis of lymphatic filariasis [1-2] and wrote a seminal and highly-cited review article on infectious diseases complications of monoclonal antibodies and biologics [3]. He was also asked to write and continue to update several tropical medicine chapters in Nelson’s Textbook of Pediatrics, the premier textbook of Pediatrics in the world [4-7].
Upon his return, he recognized a nascent HIV epidemic in the Philippines and was heavily involved in raising awareness through media [8]; training doctors to treat and recognize HIV; and lobbying the government to declare an epidemic [9]. His AIDS campaign was featured in Science [10], and his advocacy and leadership has been recognized with numerous awards, including a National Academy of Science and Technology “Outstanding Young Scientist award;” a “The Outstanding Young Men” (TOYM) award from JCI Philippines; and a “Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World” award from JCI International. He has also written scientifically on the Philippine HIV epidemic [11, 12] and has collaborated with the Department of Health (DOH) to generate important local data on the HIV problem, including basic epidemiology on rates of opportunistic infections [13]; the changing molecular epidemiology of HIV [14;, and the impact of early diagnosis and the use of antiretrovirals on HIV-infected Filipinos [15].
Aside from his HIV work, Dr. Salvana has also done research on the molecular epidemiology of pandemic A(H1N1) influenza, analyzing hundreds of virus samples from the 2009 to 2010 epidemic, detecting the first instances of oseltamivir resistance, and setting up a web-based genome library under the auspices of the Philippine Genome Center [16, 17].
Dr. Salvana is currently collaborating with the DOH under the auspices of the PGC in looking at acquired and transmitted drug resistance in HIV. The partial data from the acquired drug resistance project has already been used to modify procurement estimates for antiretroviral medication of the DOH. The transmitted drug resistance project will do whole genome, next-generation sequencing of treatment-naive HIV patients to look at pre-existing drug resistance; enable extensive bioinformatic analysis of HIV transmission dynamics; and determine whether HIV subtype affects outcomes. Because the Philippines is one of only a few countries with a burgeoning epidemic and the co-existence of two predominant HIV subtypes (B and CRF01_AE), a direct comparison between clinical characteristics and outcomes of each subtype is, for once, possible. This will be one of the first comprehensive clinical studies using the new sequencing technology and will generate a robust cohort with unprecedented viral genetic data to correlate with their treatment responses and other clinical outcomes.
The ultimate goal of Dr. Salvana’s research program is to generate useful clinical and basic science data to help his country better understand and fight its HIV epidemic.
Dr. Salvana is currently the Director of the National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology at the National Institutes of Health at the University of the Philippines Manila. He is also Adjunct Faculty for Global Health at the University of Pittsburgh and has hosted over thirty international trainees, physicians, and faculty in various clinical and basic science rotations and exchanges. Aside from continuing to update his Nelson chapters, he has recently written for the 25th edition of Goldman-Cecil Medicine [18]; written several chapters and served as associate editor of the book Medical Parasitology in the Philippines; and is currently writing the first molecular biology textbook for medical technologists in the Philippines. Dr. Salvana has organized or co-organized many national and international conferences with different partners, including the Department of Science and Technology, University of Pittsburgh, Case Western Reserve University, and the Philippine College of Physicians. Dr. Salvana has been an invited speaker and visiting professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin, Case Western Reserve University, the Cleveland Clinic, and Boston University, among many other research-intensive institutions.
For more of Dr. Salvana’s publications, visit:
https://scholar.google.com.ph/citations?user=gvZUQysAAAAJ&hl=en
CITED REFERENCES
[1] Salvana EM, Daehnel K, Hise AG, Pearlman E, Tisch DJ, Hazlett F, Kazura JW. Anti-Wolbachia antibodies and acute lymphadenopathy in lymphatic filariasis. Abstract published and presented at the 21st European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases in Milan, Italy. March 2011.
[2] Salvana EM, Daehnel K, Hise AG, Pearlman E, Tisch DJ, Kazura JW. Association of acute lymphatic filariasis with anti-Wolbachia antibody. Abstract published and presented at 2008 ICAAC/IDSA joint meeting in Washington DC.
[3] Salvana EM, Salata RA. Infectious complications associated with monoclonal antibodies and related small molecules. Clin Microbiol Rev 2009; 22:274-90.
[4] Salvana EM, Salata RA. Amebiasis in Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics 20th Edition edited by Kliegman RM, Stanton BF, St. Geme J, Schor N, Behrman RE. Elsevier Inc. Philadelphia, PA. April 2015.
[5] Salvana EM, Salata RA. Trichomoniasis (Trichomonas vaginalis) in Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics 20th Edition edited by Kliegman RM, Stanton BF, St. Geme J, Schor N, Behrman RE. Elsevier Inc. Philadelphia, PA. April 2015.
[6] Salvana EM, Salata RA. African Trypanosomiasis (Sleeping Sickness; Trypanosoma brucei complex) in Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics 20th Edition edited by Kliegman RM, Stanton BF, St. Geme J, Schor N, Behrman RE. Elsevier Inc. Philadelphia, PA. April 2015.
[7] Salvana EM, Salata RA. American Trypanosomiasis (Chagas Disease; Trypanosoma cruzi) in Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics 20th Edition edited by Kliegman RM, Stanton BF, St. Geme J, Schor N, Behrman RE. Elsevier Inc. Philadelphia, PA. April 2015.
[8] Leyritana K, Salvana EM. Clustered HIV awareness campaigns on national news television programs increase rates of voluntary testing. Abstract published and presented at the 49th Annual Meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America on October 2011 in Boston, MA.
[9] http://sciencespeaksblog.org/2012/10/24/as-the-hiv-epidemic-explodes-in-the-philippines-a-doctors-call-for-artillery/
[10] Normile D. AIDS. Asia grapples with unexpected wave of HIV infections. Science 2009; 326:1174.
[11] Salvana EM. Philippine HIV/AIDS epidemic: a call to arms. Acta Medica Philippina 2010; 44:60-2.
[12] Salvana EM HIV in the Philippines: A prime target for test and treat. Acta Medica Philippina 2012; 46:1-3.
[13] Salvana EM, Leyritana K, Alejandria M, Lim J, Destura RV, Tenorio A. Opportunistic infections in Filipino HIV patients. Abstract published and presented at the ID Week 2012 Conference on October 2012 in San Diego, CA..
[14] Schwem B, Itable J, Ching P, Ganchua S,Alejandria M, Lim J, Destura RV, Salvana EM. The changing molecular epidemiology of HIV in the Philippines: major shift from subtype B to CRF01_AE. Open Forum Infectious Diseases 2014 ; 1 (suppl 1), S410.
[15] Salvana EM, Leyritana K, Alejandria MM, Destura RV, Ching P, Duque R, Duque R, Amor C, Sison O, Lim J. Predictors of mortality in persons living with HIV in the Philippines: The impact of widespread antiretroviral therapy and the case for early treatment.Open Forum Infectious Diseases 2015; 2 (suppl 1):S161.
[16] Salvana EM, Schwem B, Ganchua SK, Olveda R, Segubre-Mercado E, Tandoc A, Tallo V, Tayag E, Tayzon MF, Padilla C, Destura RV. Emergence of oseltamivir resistance in Philippine A(H1N1) influenza from the 2009 pandemic. Published and Presented at 25th European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen, Denmark, April 2015.
[17] Salvana EM, Schwem B, Ganchua SK, Trinidad GB, Ma M, Agmata ML, Heralde F, Tayag E, Roque V, Tayzon M, Padilla C, Destura RV. Construction of a comprehensive interactive genome library for detection, characterization, and drug-resistance surveillance of influenza viruses in a developing country. Abstract published and presented at the ID Week 2012 Conference on October 2012 in San Diego, CA.
[18] Salvana EM, Salata RA. Brucella in Goldman-Cecil Medicine 25th Edition edited by Goldman L, Schafer AI. Elsevier Inc. Philadelphia, PA. April 2015.
