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Dr. Block is the founder of the Hepatitis B Foundation of America, the only not-for-profit organization specifically committed to the cause of HBV. His public advocacy initiative has resulted in raising awareness of the worldwide problem of HBV across the globe. Dr. Block was involved in the discovery of "NBDNJ", a plant sugar that was found to prevent the secretion of HBV from liver cells without killing the cells. NBDNJ has now received the trade name "glycovir" and, in an improved form, is being tested for its therapeutic potential. His other major discovery in antiviral research is the development of a novel micro organism based assay for antiviral drugs, called "MOBA". In 1990, Dr. Block received the WW Smith award for the discovery of MOBA. In 1998, Dr. Block was named "Scientist of the Year" by the American Liver Foundation and received an Honorary Degree from the Romanian Academy of Sciences for basic science advances in viral hepatitis. Dr. Block serves on the Board of Directors of the Hepatitis B Foundation and the Delaware Valley Chapter of the American Liver Foundation and is a Fellow of the International Union Against Cancer and the Glycobiology Institute, Oxford University. He is the founder of Jefferson Center for Biomedical Research. | 