By Quarraisha Abdool Karim
Quarraisha, a Fellow of the Royal Society, is a globally renowned HIV researcher whose groundbreaking work showed that HIV can be prevented using antiretrovirals.
This led to the development of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). As Associate Scientific Director and co-founder of the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA) and UNAIDS Special Ambassador for Adolescents and HIV, she advocates for young women’s health and has mentored over 600 African scientists.
She advises the WHO and PEPFAR and has received major international awards, including the L’Oréal-UNESCO Award, the Canada Gairdner Global Health Award, and the prestigious Lasker-Bloomberg Public Service Award.
Quarraisha says: “Who bears the greatest burden? It is the poorest of the poor, where we face a multiplicity of challenges. The lack of, or limited power, is directly related to the burden of infectious diseases and social inequality. Creating a platform for young people to envisage a better future, particularly in Africa. Creating space for young emerging scientists… That’s the treasure chest.”
Photograph of Quarraisha Abdool Karim by Gabriel Attwood
