Dr. Robert Heimer is an associate professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at the Yale University School of Medicine. He comes to his investigations on syringe-borne infections with primary training in the fields of biochemistry, molecular biology, and pharmacology. Currently, his major research efforts are: (1) Scientific evaluation of syringe exchange programs; (2) Virological assessment of the risk of syringe-sharing and other drug-injection behaviors that may transmit HIV-1 and hepatitis C; and (3) Injection related spread of HIV in Russia.Dr. Heimer's evaluation of the New Haven syringe-exchange program remains the best demonstration of the efficacy of syringe-exchange programs as AIDS-prevention efforts. The studies show that the New Haven exchange has reduced the transmission of HIV-1 by at least one third, and of hepatitis B transmission by about the same amount. Moreover, these reductions occurred because the length of time syringes remained in circulation fell by eighty percent. Dr. Heimer's laboratory found that HIV-1 remained viable within used syringes for at least three weeks, proving importance of removing used syringes from circulation. Dr. Heimer received his B.A. from Columbia College (1974) and his Ph.D. in Pharmacology from Yale University (1988).

(1999) Survival of Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 in syringes.JAIDS & HR, 20:73-80.(1998) Detection of HIV-1 nucleic acid and HIV-1 antibodies in needles and syringes used for non-intravenous injection. AIDS, 12:2345-2350.(1998) Syringe exchange programs: Lowering the transmission of syringe-borne diseases and beyond. Publ. Health Rpts., 113(suppl. 1): 67-74.(1998). Needle exchange as a conduit to drug treatment.Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 15:169-184.