A Tribute to Frank Polk

In honor of B. Frank Polk’s contributions to public health and his ground-breaking research into the AIDS epidemic, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health celebrated his life and career with a day-long tribute by fellow researchers and scientists. The tribute was held at the Bloomberg School on October 22, 2008.

A brilliant researcher and compassionate humanitarian, Dr. Polk directed the AIDS outpatient clinic at the Johns Hospital, where he treated hundreds of AIDS patients. Complementing his service at the Hospital, he helped to establish an AIDS hospice at the Joseph Richey House in Baltimore.

Trained in epidemiology and infectious disease, Dr. Polk not only dedicated himself to teaching, but also used innovative, creative approaches to solve clinical problems with epidemiological methods. At the start of the AIDS epidemic, he recognized the need for epidemiological research on what was, at the time, a mysterious disease. He soon became an internationally acclaimed leader in AIDS research. In the 1980s he founded two major cohort studies—the Study to Help the AIDS Research Effort (SHARE) as part of the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS), and the AIDS Link to Intravenous Drug Experience (ALIVE)—both of which were so essential and pioneering that they are still active. In 1986, Dr. Polk was awarded a Fogarty Center grant that continues to train HIV investigators from around the world.

Dr. Polk’s legacy will continue through the B. Frank Polk Faculty Support Endowment Fund within the Department of Epidemiology. The Fund will support junior faculty within the Department of Epidemiology who show great potential for future contributions to public health. We invite you to honor B. Frank Polk and his remarkable legacy by contributing to achieve the ultimate goal of an endowed chair. Contributions can be forwarded to

B. Frank and Kathleen Polk Faculty Support Endowment Fund
c/o Mr. Paul Seifert
Office of External Affairs
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
615 N. Wolfe St., E2132
Baltimore, Md. 21205

Inquiries can be made to Paul Seifert at:
phone: 410-955-5194
email: pseifert@jhsph.edu

To read Bloomberg School coverage of the tribute, please click on the link below.
A Tribute to Frank Polk (web article)

To read remembrances of B. Frank Polk, please click on the link below.
Remembrances (pdf - 60kb)  /  index of Remembrances (42kb)

To see pictures of and read quotations about B. Frank Polk, please click on the link below.
Frank Polk Photos from Wall of Wonder (pdf - 1mb)

Part 1
Introduction by Jonathan Samet. Talks by Dean Michael J. Klag, Alvaro Munoz, John Bartlett and Bud Frazier. 53 minutes. (Presentation minutes below.)

Part 2
Introduction by Jonathan Samet. Talks by Lisa Jacobson and Todd Brown. 41 minutes. (Presentation minutes below.)

Part 3
Introduction by Jonathan Samet. Talks by David Vlahov, Shruti Mehta, David Celentano, Sarah Polk, Andrew Sorensen and Dean Michael J. Klag. 84 minutes. (Presentation minutes below.)

Part 4
Video tribute by Walter Willett.

Minutes for video presentations

Part 1

Jon Samet  00:31 - 04:35  
Introduction

Michael Klag  04:39 - 06:51  
Opening Remarks

Alvaro Muñoz  07:00 - 19:24  
Remembering B Frank Polk (Research)

John Bartlett  19:28 - 36:37  
Remembering B Frank Polk (Clinical)

O. Howard Frazier 36:47 - 52:55  
Transfusion Studies

Part 2

Lisa Jacobson  00:29 - 23:12  
MACS: Evolution of Epidemiological Challenges

Todd Brown  23:20 - 41:33  
Metabolic Complications of HIV Infection and its Therapy

Part 3

David Vlahov  00:29 - 21:33  
HIV and Injection Drug Use 

Shruti Mehta  21:41 - 36:23  
HIV and Co-infections with Hepatitis Viruses

David Celentano 36:38 - 50:15  
International Research in HIV/AIDS

Sarah Polk  50:25 - 52:35  
Introduction of Keynote Speaker

Andrew Sorensen 52:36 - 1:21:28 
Confronting the Challenges of the HIV Epidemic
 
Michael Klag  1:21:40 - 1:23:12 
The B. Frank Polk Faculty Support Endowment
Fund

Jon Samet  1:23:19 - 1:23:51 
Closing Remarks