For over 40 years, Dr. Hirsch has worked in virology research. He has also trained many of the current leaders in virology and AIDS research. His group was the first to show that HIV could be isolated from both male and female genital secretions, as well as from the central nervous system. His laboratory conducted the first studies of antiretroviral drug combinations in vitro, and he has extended these efforts into clinical trials of antiretroviral combination strategies that have helped revolutionize therapy for HIV-infected individuals.