Celebrating New Clinical Center Exhibit for Nobel Laureate Dr. Harvey Alter
Posted on by Dr. Monica M. Bertagnolli
Earlier this month, I had the great honor of attending the opening of an exhibit at the NIH Clinical Center commemorating the distinguished career of Dr. Harvey Alter. Harvey’s collaborators, colleagues, and family members joined him to celebrate this display dedicated to his groundbreaking hepatitis C work developed by the Office of NIH History and Stetten Museum.
As I remarked at the event, we at NIH are proud to be able to claim Harvey as our own. He has spent almost the entirety of his professional career at the Clinical Center, working as a scientist in the Department of Transfusion Medicine since the 1960s.
Those who view this permanent exhibit will learn about how Harvey’s dedicated research has transformed the safety of the U.S. blood supply. Before the 1970s, nearly a third of patients who received multiple, lifesaving blood transfusions contracted hepatitis. Today, the risk of contracting hepatitis from a blood transfusion is essentially zero, thanks largely to Harvey’s research advances, including his work to identify the hepatitis C virus, which earned him the 2020 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. A cure for hepatitis C became available in 2014, and former NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins, who was at the event, has been working with President Biden to ensure greater access to these medications as part of an effort to eliminate hepatitis C in this country. This important work would not have been possible without Harvey’s foundational discoveries. Harvey is one of six Nobelists who did the entirety of their award-winning research at NIH as federal scientists, and the only NIH Nobel laureate to be recognized for clinical research.
This exhibit in the busy halls of the Clinical Center is a good reminder to the many who pass by of why we do what we do: It can take long hours and many years, but we can make a significant impact in clinical care when we try to understand the root causes of problems. Please stop by when you’re there to learn more about Harvey’s remarkable career.
Congratulations. I appreciate all the work/research that you’ve done on behalf of myself and everyone whose lives you have improved.
Honoring Dr. Harvey Alter’s Nobel achievements with a clinical center exhibit. Hope it will commemorating medical innovation and inspiring future generations.
Dr. Harvey Alter’s exhibit at NIH’s Clinical Center is a poignant tribute to his groundbreaking work in hepatitis C research. His tireless efforts have transformed the safety of the U.S. blood supply, saving countless lives. This exhibit serves as a reminder of the profound impact of dedicated scientific inquiry and the importance of understanding the root causes of medical challenges. Dr. Alter’s legacy is one of inspiration and hope, showcasing the power of persistence and innovation in advancing medical science for the betterment of humanity.