Edmund Tramont

Abstract

The eminent American infectious diseases specialist who was instrumental in promoting research on HIV/AIDS passed away on March 5, 2023 Edmund Tramont, a renowned infectious disease specialist and associate director of the special projects at the division of clinical research in the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID, Bethesda, MD, USA) passed away on March 5, 2023, at the age of 83 years, after a brief illness. Born on Aug 5, 1939, and raised in Wallingford (CT, USA), Tramont helped carry out the initial work for the US National Institutes of Health (NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA) in terms of the prevention of infectious diseases and development of vaccines. In recent years, as NIAID's clinical research division's associate director of the special projects, he used to counsel scientists across the world, emphasising on emerging diseases, such as COVID-19 and SARS. Tramont's interest for microbiology developed when he studied at the Rutgers University (NJ, USA) between 1957 and 1962. In 1966, he completed his medical graduation from the Boston University School of Medicine (Boston, MA, USA). However, in 1968, he was drafted into the US army and his residency was commenced at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center (Bethesda, MD, USA); he became the first infectious disease specialist trained by the army. In the army, Tramont became a leader in infectious diseases, contributing to the development of vaccines to prevent infectious diseases that affect the army as well as the society. He developed the combined meningococcal vaccine and planned and did vaccine trials for Shigella, HIV and gonorrhea. Moreover, he wrote the US army's “first policies” regarding management of HIV/AIDS. In 1991, Tramont retired from the army after his service of more than two decades. Then he served at the University of Maryland (Baltimore, MD) and carried out a revamp of the University's Medical Biotechnology centre; there, he also played an important role in establishing the Institute of Human Virology. Tramont served as the director of the Division of AIDS (DAIDS) at NIAID since 2001. By helping in the initial groundwork, Tramont gave significant contribution to the flourishing of clinical research activities at DAIDS. “The DAIDS program has been enormously successful”, Tramont said in a statement in 2001. “For example, DAIDS has been critical to our understanding of how HIV causes disease, to creating antiretroviral drugs, and in preventing mother-to-infant transmission of HIV, to name only a few contributions. My challenge is to build on that legacy”, he added. Hugh Auchincloss (NIAID, Bethesda, MD, USA) commented, “[Dr] Tramont was a valued member of the NIAID community who served as director of the Division of AIDS from 2001 until 2006. [He] had since been an associate director in the Division of Clinical Research”. “[Dr Tramont] cared deeply for people with HIV and also worked to get antiviral treatments into South Africa in the face of AIDS denialism, further contributing to his legacy of life-saving breakthroughs in medical training and biomedical research”, Auchincloss added. Sten Vermund (Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA) said, “Dr Tramont was passionate about the prevention of HIV globally. An early pioneer in HIV research, prevention, and care, his pragmatic views were highly influential in military medical leadership, reducing stigma and discrimination and increasing care options for those soldiers and sailors who acquired HIV or other sexually transmitted infections”. Vermund served as the principal investigator of the HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN, Durham, NC, USA) during 2006 to 2012. He added, “From the point of view of leadership in the HPTN, we could not have had a more passionate advocate for our work. We honor his legacy and will miss him sorely”. Tramont also worked for the Vaccine Research Center (VRC, Bethesda, MD, USA) during its initial days; his advice significantly helped in the HIV vaccine development related strategies. In his professional life, Tramont was appreciated by scientists, researchers, and other colleagues, thanks to his valuable advices and friendship. In a statement, Richard Koup (VRC, Bethesda, MD, USA) recounted, “Dr Tramont's passion, dedication, ingenuity and honesty made him an invaluable contributor to the research community, and he will be greatly missed”. In his private life, Tramont loved to spend time with and observe his grandchildren play various sports. He used to travel substantially to meet with his friends and family. Regarding awards, Tramont was awarded the Distinguished Civilian Service Award in 2012. Predeceased by his wife, Mary, Dr Tramont is survived by John Tramont (his son), Margaret Mulford and Karen Altobello (his daughters), his three siblings—Tom Tramont, Ray Tramont and Rita Doyle; and his seven grandchildren.