Krim, Mathilde (1926–)

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Krim, Mathilde (1926–)

American research biologist and virologist. Born Mathilde Galland, July 9, 1926, in Como, Italy; dau. of Italianspeaking Swiss agronomist and a German-speaking Czech mother; University of Geneva, BS, 1948, PhD, 1953; m. Jewish medical student (div. 1958); m. Arthur B. Krim (chair of Orion Pictures).

Health educator, best known for her work in combating AIDS and HIV through research and education, 1st worked on biomedical research at Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel (1953–59), during 1st marriage; remarried and moved to US; worked at Cornell Medical College (1959–62); became researcher at Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in NYC (1962), then head of interferon laboratory (1981–85); worked in department of pediatrics at St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital and at Columbia University (1986–90); became adjunct professor of public health and management at Columbia (1990); established the AIDS Medical Foundation (1983), which later merged to form the American Foundation for AIDS Research (AmFAR). Awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom by Bill Clinton (2000).