Physician Investigator (Cl) Gastroenterology, Mass General Research Institute

Carl W. Walter Professor of Medicine Harvard Medical School

Physician Gastroenterology, Massachusetts General Hospital

MD Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons 1972

antiviral agents; chronic hepatitis; chronic hepatitis c; hepatitis b; hepatitis b virus; hepatitis c; interferon-alpha

Dr. Dienstag's primary research interest is in viralhepatitis. Among his contributionshave been basic-virologic, experimental animal-model, immunologic andimmunopathogenetic, genetic, epidemiologic, vaccination, and antiviral studiesof hepatitis A, B, C, and D viruses.

Dr. Dienstag's recent research efforts havefocused on antiviral therapy for chronic viral hepatitis. Dr. Dienstag has participated inclinical trials of interferon therapy for chronic hepatitis C; in combination with the nucleoside analog ribavirin; innaive, relapsing, and nonresponder patients; with different formulations ofstandard interferon; with long-acting, pegylated, preparations, and with directly acting antiviral agents (e.g., protease inhibitors).

Dr. Dienstag led one of 10 Clinical Centerteams nationwide in an an multiyear trial of protracted antiviral therapy forpatients refractory to treatment for chronic hepatitis C. This study, designated the HALT-C (Hepatitis Antiviral Long-term Treatment against Cirrhosis) Trial, was designed to test the hypothesis that long-terminterferon therapy, even in biochemical/virologic nonresponders to interferon,can limit histologic and clinical progression. The HALT-C Trial also included a series of ancillary studiesthat defined virologic alterations during protracted therapy and during thenatural progression of disease and provided a rich source of clinicalmaterial, which shed light on the process of fibrosis andhepatocarcinogenesis.

Dr. Dienstag was the leading United States academicclinical investigator in the development of lamivudine as the first approvedorally administered nucleoside analog for the treatment of chronic hepatitisB.