Dr. Douek studied medicine at the Universities of Oxford and London. He then practiced internal medicine, before pursuing a Ph.D. in Immunology at the University of London. Dr. Douek was appointed to the Vaccine Research Center, NIAID in November 2000. Dr. Douek is a recognized leader in the field of human immunology. His laboratory, the Human Immunology Section, studies the processes that determine the course of human diseases in which the immune system, particularly its T cell arm, plays a central role in their pathogenesis and outcome. He aims to use the knowledge gained to initiate clinical studies of new therapeutic and vaccine approaches. His overriding philosophy is to address questions directly in humans and non-human primates, with an emphasis on the derivation of the basic mechanisms that underlie disease processes. Currently, the main focus of the lab is the pathogenesis of HIV infection. By studying interactions of HIV-specific T cells in HIV disease and after vaccination against HIV, Dr. Douek’s aim is to establish correlates of effective and protective immunity, which in turn will open lines of further inquiry for researchers in developing strategies using T-cell immunity to fight HIV infection. By studying the mechanisms underlying HIV pathogenesis and immune reconstitution after therapy, his goal is to understand how HIV causes disease and how recovery from HIV disease can be enhanced. Together, these approaches address both prevention and treatment of HIV disease in humans.