A dermatologist and researcher affiliated with the University of California at San Francisco. He is the co-founder of the San Francisco AIDS Association, along with Cleve Jones, and creates the AIDS clinic after witnessing cases of Kaposi’s sarcoma erupt. His dedication and frustration with the response to the epidemic pushes him to break ranks with the University of California administration and seek funding from the State of California and other institutions.  

An epidemiologist, he eventually leads the task force on AIDS at the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta. Previously, Curran also headed the Venereal Disease division there. After the outbreak of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in Los Angeles, he rapidly moves forward with prominent gay doctors and CDC leaders to figure out the explanation to the epidemic.  

Infectious disease specialist for the San Francisco Department of Public Health who is an expert in enteric diseases in homosexual men. In the initial stages of the epidemic, her meticulous tracking of the epidemic assists the CDC on learning how AIDS is spread and monitoring AIDS symptoms. Her calm demeanor, professionalism and trustworthiness places her in high regard with the gay community, scientists, medical officials and media, even as she chooses to side with the unpopular decision to close bathhouses.