Professors Quarraisha Abdool Karim and Salim S Abdool Karim, a dynamic wife-and-husband team, have been honoured with the prestigious 2024 Lasker~Bloomberg Public Service Award.

Recognised for their ground-breaking research and tireless advocacy in the fight against HIV/AIDS, their work has shaped new life-saving preventive and treatment strategies, a crucial advancement in combating a disease that has claimed 42 million lives worldwide and currently affects 40 million people.

The Abdool Karims, affiliated with CAPRISA and Columbia University, have made significant contributions to global health, particularly in Africa. Their research has emphasised the devastating impact of HIV on women and girls. One of their most notable discoveries is the use of the antiretroviral drug tenofovir, that reduced new HIV infections by 39% in women over two-and-a-half years. This breakthrough ultimately led to the development of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), now a globally recognized method of HIV prevention endorsed by the World Health Organisation.

Their work goes beyond HIV prevention. They have been instrumental in developing treatment approaches for co-infections of HIV and tuberculosis, which significantly reduced annual deaths in South Africa by over 50% after five years of implementation.

Growing up during apartheid in South Africa, the Abdool Karims developed a deep understanding of how social inequalities fuel health crises. Their early experiences at Columbia University in the 1980s, where they witnessed the devastating toll of HIV/AIDS in New York, prompted them to return home to address the epidemic in South Africa. Their leadership at CAPRISA has helped train over 600 HIV and TB researchers in South Africa and established world-class research facilities across the continent.

In addition to their scientific achievements, the Abdool Karims have been vocal advocates for the marginalized, advising medical, governmental, and philanthropic organisations on public health strategies. Their influence extended to the COVID-19 pandemic, where they were crucial voices in combating misinformation.

The Lasker~Bloomberg Public Service Award, regarded as America’s top biomedical research prize, includes an honorarium of $250,000. The award will be presented at a gala event in New York City on September 27, 2024. Over the years, the Lasker Awards have honoured 97 individuals who later went on to win the Nobel Prize, highlighting the global significance of the work of its recipients.

Professors Quarraisha Abdool Karim Pictures: Supplied

Professors Salim S. Salim S. Abdool Karim

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Dynamic duo profs win prestigious award