The origin of AIDS

On Sept. 29, McMaster University held a public lecture about tracing the origins of the AIDS virus at the Health Sciences Centre.

The inaugural public lecture was presented by Prof. Paul Sharp, an evolutionary geneticist from the University of Edinburgh on his research, which has spanned the past few decades.

“I have been collaborating with a virologist on both the evolution of the AIDS virus with the aim of first trying to find out where the human virus came from and then trying to understand what evolutionary processes occurred during the transmission of the virus from primates to humans,” said Sharp when asked to describe his research. Although the subject is very complex in actuality, Sharp was able to condense the material in a way that appeals to the general public.

Sharp’s efforts were successful in uncovering the origin of the AIDS virus— the punch line being that it was transmitted from chimpanzees in the early 20th century. “We can pinpoint the part of Africa where the jump most likely happened from a chimp to a human, which has now become a pandemic that has killed 30 to 40 million people in the world,” he said.

This lecture was funded by the Sparkuhl Lectureship Fund in Biology, which honours Joachim Sparkuhl, a scientist with a fond interest in biology and mathematics.

As a means of honouring him, the public lecture strives to continue his passion by educating the public on an area of biology that appeals to the masses.

“Joachim Sparkuhl loved learning and loved sharing learning, so for him to have somebody share their ideas with a group of people who are interested in it is a perfect way to remember him,” said Shelley Birenbaum, a close friend of Sparkuhl.

Along with the the public lecture, Dr. Sparkuhl’s fund is also being used to provide a summer research scholarship in the field of biology. The endowment places a strong emphasis on sharing his love of biology and learning to everyone.