Salim Abdool Karim

Salim S. Abdool Karim
Born	1960 Durban, South Africa
Occupation(s)	Epidemiologist, public health expert, virologist, professor
Years active	1984–present
Known for	HIV/AIDS and COVID-19 research and policy advisory in South Africa

Salim S. Abdool Karim is a distinguished South African expert in public health, epidemiology, and virology, recognized for his pivotal role in addressing the HIV/AIDS and COVID-19 crises within South Africa. His research has profoundly shaped HIV prevention strategies and treatment protocols, contributing to the preservation of countless lives.

Career

Karim holds professorial positions at both the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa and Columbia University in the United States. He played a key role in significant research initiatives. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, he chaired a 45-member Ministerial Advisory Committee composed of medical specialists, which provided strategic guidance to South Africa’s government response. For the term 2021–2024, he was appointed as Vice President for Outreach and Engagement at the International Science Council.

Education

Born in 1960 in Durban into a South African Indian household, Karim attended primary school before his family was relocated under apartheid’s Group Areas Act to Chatsworth. After completing secondary education in 1977, he entered medical school at the University of Natal. Initially aspiring to study engineering but unable to afford it, he received a scholarship that enabled him to pursue medicine. Concurrently with his medical degree, he studied computer science and statistics through correspondence courses at the University of South Africa. Under the mentorship of pediatrician Professor Jerry Coovadia, Karim undertook his inaugural research project during his third year of medical studies, resulting in a publication in the International Journal of Health Services. This early work exposed racial inequalities in health during the apartheid era.

Medical Training

Karim completed his internship at King Edward VIII Hospital in Durban in 1984, followed by a research fellowship with the Medical Research Council. In 1986, he commenced doctoral studies on Hepatitis B virus infection within the Department of Virology at the University of Natal. He trained as a virologist before it was formally recognized as a specialty and was subsequently honored with an Honorary Fellowship in Virology by the College of Medicine of South Africa for his significant contributions.

In 1987, Karim was awarded a Rockefeller fellowship to pursue a master's degree in epidemiology at Columbia University in New York. The following year, he married molecular biologist Quarraisha Khan and furthered his education by studying health economics at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and epidemic investigation techniques at the CDC in Atlanta. Later that year, upon returning to South Africa, he initiated a long-term collaborative partnership with Quarraisha Abdool Karim through one of Africa’s pioneering community-based HIV surveys.

By 1992, he had completed specialist training in public health medicine, earning a Fellowship from the College of Medicine of South Africa as well as a Masters in Medicine focused on Community Health from the University of Natal. In 1999, he was awarded a PhD from the University of Natal for his research on Hepatitis B epidemiology within South Africa.

Research Career

Following his internship, he dedicated a year in 1985 to research at the SAMRC. By 1992, he had joined SAMRC as a senior epidemiologist and, in 1993, was appointed Director of the MRC's Centre for Epidemiological Research in South Africa (CERSA). Under his leadership, CERSA grew to become the largest medical research institution in South Africa, significantly strengthening its influence on both national and international public health initiatives. In 2001, he shifted to academic leadership by assuming the role of Deputy Vice-Chancellor for research at the University of Natal. Following the 2004 merger that created the University of KwaZulu-Natal, he spearheaded a new research agenda with a strong focus on advancing African scholarship.

Professor Abdool Karim is acclaimed for his strategic vision in founding five prominent research centres within South Africa. As Principal Investigator, he secured funding that established the Wellcome Trust-supported Africa Centre for Population Studies and Reproductive Health in 1997, and led the creation of the MRC's HIV Prevention and Vaccine Research Unit in 2000 through a $16 million grant from NIH. In 2002, he obtained $15 million from NIH to launch the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA). Additionally, he was instrumental in founding LifeLab, a $10 million biotechnology facility inaugurated in 2003, and the KwaZulu-Natal Research Institute for TB and HIV (K-RITH), a $70 million initiative funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute in 2007. He served as Founding Director for four of these organizations and was the inaugural Chair of LifeLab’s Board.

Key Research Contributions

Professor Abdool Karim's research expertise encompasses HIV prevention, management of HIV-TB co-infections, and the epidemiology and mitigation strategies related to COVID-19. He co-led the CAPRISA 004 tenofovir gel trial, which delivered pioneering evidence supporting antiretroviral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent HIV infection. This landmark study was acknowledged by UNAIDS and WHO in 2012 as a significant milestone in AIDS prevention and featured among Science magazine’s “Top 10 Scientific Breakthroughs of 2010.” Moreover, it demonstrated tenofovir gel’s efficacy against herpes simplex virus type 2, representing the first biological preventive measure for genital herpes.

His investigations uncovered the “Cycle of HIV Transmission,” revealing that young women typically contract HIV from male partners approximately a decade older. These insights shaped UNAIDS’ “Get on the Fast-Track – The Life-Cycle approach to HIV” report, which has guided HIV intervention policies throughout African nations and emphasized priorities within South Africa’s national AIDS strategy.

In vaccine research for HIV, he is co-inventor on patents including CAP256V2LS—a broadly neutralizing antibody with strong potency currently under development for passive immunization as an initial step toward vaccine formulation. His work on HIV-TB treatment protocols has been incorporated into WHO guidelines and adopted worldwide.

During the COVID-19 crisis, his focus shifted towards understanding public health challenges posed by emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants.

With over 450 peer-reviewed articles authored and multiple key texts on epidemiology, HIV/AIDS in South Africa, and clinical trials co-edited, Professor Abdool Karim has demonstrated prolific scholarly output. As Principal Investigator, he has garnered upwards of $200 million in funding from entities such as NIH, Wellcome Trust, USAID, CDC, European Union, South African Department of Science and Technology, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

He is ranked among the most cited researchers globally between 2018 and 2022 according to Clarivate Analytics’ Web of Science. His most frequently referenced publication with Quarraisha Abdool Karim (Science, 2010) has accrued over 2,000 citations.

His commitment to scientific capacity development is evident through his role as co-principal investigator alongside Quarraisha Abdool Karim on the Fogarty International Centre-supported AIDS-TB training programme, which has equipped more than 600 researchers across southern Africa with advanced skills.

Affiliations

He holds the position of director at the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA) and is the CAPRISA Professor of Global Health in Epidemiology at the Mailman School of Public Health within Columbia University. Additionally, he is the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research) at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, an Adjunct Professor specializing in Immunology and Infectious Diseases at Harvard University, and an adjunct professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine of Cornell University.

As CAPRISA’s Director, he oversees four research units embedded in the institution, including the UNAIDS Collaborating Centre for HIV Research and Policy, the South African National Research Foundation’s Centre of Excellence in HIV Prevention, a Global Virus Network Centre of Excellence, and a South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) extramural research unit focused on HIV-TB Pathogenesis and Treatment.

Between 2012 and 2014, while serving as President of the SAMRC, he transformed the organization comprising 800 staff by redefining its strategic objectives, enhancing operational efficiencies, tripling its funding, and boosting its research influence and global stature. The February 2014 edition of Nature Medicine acknowledged this transformation as “visionary leadership.”

Scientific Advice and Policy Contributions

Professor Abdool Karim has played a pivotal role in shaping AIDS and COVID-19 policies both within Africa and internationally. He has provided expert guidance to governments and major international bodies such as the WHO, ISC, UNAIDS, PEPFAR, and the Global Fund. He is currently a member of the 9-person WHO Science Council advising the WHO Director-General.

He formerly chaired the UNAIDS Scientific Expert Panel and was instrumental in the UNAIDS-Lancet Commission on “Defeating AIDS,” co-authoring its influential 2015 Lancet publication that shaped global AIDS policy. Presently, he is part of the Scientific Advisory Board for Global Health at the Gates Foundation as well as the WHO HIV-TB Task Force. Recently, he led South Africa’s Ministerial Advisory Committee on COVID-19 and contributed to Africa’s COVID-19 task forces alongside participation in the Lancet Commission on COVID-19.

His past roles include membership on PEPFAR’s Scientific Advisory Board, participation in Gates Foundation’s Global HIV Prevention Working Group, and involvement with WHO’s Expert Advisory Panel on Sexually Transmitted Infections. He also chaired WHO’s Scientific and Technical Advisory Groups for Reproductive Health Research and HIV/STI programs. Elected to the Governing Council of the International Epidemiological Association in 1996, he currently holds the position of Vice President of the International Science Council.

Scientific Recognition

Professor Abdool Karim has been elected Fellow of the Royal Society, Member of the National Academy of Medicine, and Fellow of the International Science Council. His memberships extend to esteemed organizations such as the American Society for Microbiology, Association of American Physicians (AAP), The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), African Academy of Sciences (AAS), Academy of Science in South Africa (ASSAf), and the Royal Society of South Africa (RSSAf).

He serves on editorial boards including The New England Journal of Medicine as well as International Advisory Boards for Lancet HIV and The Lancet - Global Health. His previous editorial responsibilities comprise roles on eLife’s Board of Reviewing Editors, Associate Editor for AIDS Clinical Care, and Corresponding Editor for the International Journal of Infectious Diseases. Over his career, he has reviewed manuscripts for more than 40 scientific journals.

Abdool Karim has presided over major AIDS conferences, notably chairing the Scientific Program Committee for the landmark 2000 Durban XIII^th International AIDS Conference, which significantly influenced global AIDS strategies and helped secure affordable antiretroviral therapies. He frequently delivers keynote presentations at leading international forums such as the International AIDS Conference (including Opening Plenary in 2014 Melbourne), International AIDS Vaccine Conference, International Microbicides Conference, and meetings organized by the International Society for Infectious Diseases.

Honors and Recognitions

His extensive work in AIDS research has garnered him a wealth of distinguished accolades. Among these, he was awarded Africa's premier scientific distinction, the African Union Kwame Nkrumah Award for Scientific Excellence. On the global stage, his honors include Japan's Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize, Kuwait’s “Al-Sumait Prize” recognizing contributions to African development research, Canada’s John Dirks Gairdner Health Award, Vietnam’s VinFuture Special Prize, Chile’s 500 Years of the Straits of Magellan Award, and the African Union – Africa CDC’s CPHIA Lifetime Achievement in Public Health Award. Notably, in 2020, he and Dr A Fauci were jointly presented with the John Maddox Prize for their steadfast commitment to science.

Additional distinctions feature a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Institute of Human Virology, the DIA President’s Award for Outstanding Achievement in Global Health, the Olusegun Obasanjo Prize for Scientific Discovery and Technological Innovation from the African Academy of Science, Columbia University’s Allan Rosenfield Alumni Award, the European Union’s Outstanding Senior African Scientist Award, and the TWAS Prize in Medical Sciences. He also earned the Distinguished Scholar Award from Nigeria’s Biomedical HIV Prevention Forum alongside USAID’s Science and Technology Pioneers Prize awarded to the CAPRISA 004 team.

His impact extends beyond research through honors such as the “Hero in Medicine” Award by the International Association of Physicians for AIDS Care (IAPAC) and the Men’s Health Award in Science & Technology. He holds honorary doctorates from both the University of Cape Town and Rhodes University, as well as receiving the UNISA Chancellor's Calabash Award and an Honorary Fellowship from Mangosuthu University of Technology.

Within South Africa, his accolades include the MRC Platinum Medal for Lifetime Achievement, the South African Medical Association Gold Medal for Fellowship in Medicine, the Royal Society of South Africa’s John F. W. Herschel Medal, and the Academy of Science of South Africa’s Science for Society Gold Medal. The Academy also named him among the 50 all-time Legends of South African Science.

In 2024, Professor Karim was co-recipient of the Lasker~Bloomberg Public Service Award alongside Quarraisha Abdool Karim and received The Royal Society Michael Faraday Prize in recognition of his scientific leadership, policy guidance, epidemiological research, and public education initiatives.

Commitment to Anti-Apartheid, Anti-Corruption, and Human Rights

In 1980, as a student activist, he became involved in the anti-apartheid struggle by helping to establish and distribute Ukusa, a community newspaper instrumental in rallying opposition against racial injustice.

He was actively engaged in launching the United Democratic Front in Mitchells Plain, Cape Town in 1983—a critical non-racial coalition opposing apartheid.

Following his medical qualification in 1983, he contributed to founding NAMDA (National Medical and Dental Association), an organization dedicated to combating racial and gender inequalities within healthcare. His efforts earned him the Reebok Human Rights Award in 1988 for advancing health and human rights through NAMDA.

During South Africa’s era of AIDS denialism, he stood up against Health Minister Tshabalala-Msimang and President Thabo Mbeki, successfully advocating for antiretroviral access and funding that enabled one of the continent’s largest AIDS treatment initiatives despite governmental resistance.

He has been a persistent critic of corruption and human rights violations, publicly calling for the resignation of the National Director of Public Prosecutions due to inadequate action on corruption cases. Throughout the COVID-19 lockdown period, he denounced military misconduct as well as corruption related to PPE procurement.

Currently, he serves on the Advisory Council of Physicians for Human Rights, a New York-based organization focused on health and human rights advocacy, and is part of the advisory board for “Defend Our Democracy,” a South African initiative dedicated to fighting corruption and fostering good governance.

Personal life

Karim is wed to Quarraisha Abdool Karim, who also serves as his research partner, and together they have children.