Wesley Sundquist Named to TIME鈥檚 Annual TIME100 List of the 100 Most Influential People in the World
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亚洲自慰视频 of Utah 亚洲自慰视频 researcher has been named one of TIME鈥檚 100 most influential people in the world for his lab鈥檚 research leading to a highly effective drug that prevents HIV infections. The list recognizes the impact, innovation, and achievement of the world鈥檚 most influential individuals.
The drug, lenacapavir, was developed at Gilead Sciences, and is exceptionally effective at preventing HIV. A single dose provides protection for six months.
And in multiple clinical trials involving tens of thousands of people, lenacapavir has shown 99.9 to 100 percent efficacy in preventing HIV鈥攔esults that Sundquist describes as 鈥渟pectacularly successful.鈥
If distributed broadly, the drug has the potential to dramatically decrease infection rates worldwide. 鈥淚t feels like our work has made a difference,鈥 Sundquist adds.
But the story of lenacapavir started decades ago with basic, curiosity-driven research in Sundquist鈥檚 lab. The lab wasn鈥檛 specifically aiming to discover new therapies鈥攔ather, they were simply trying to understand how the HIV virus particle is put together. They discovered that one of the key components of the virus is extremely sensitive to change: a prime target for drug development.
Sundquist consulted with biopharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences, which developed lenacapavir. Sundquist鈥檚 collaborator at Gilead, is a co-recipient of TIME鈥檚 honor.
鈥淭oday, we recognize Dr. Sundquist for his work that began more than 20 years ago as a quest to understand the structure of HIV and has now led to a medication that could prevent the spread of HIV worldwide,鈥 says Rachel Hess, MD, MS, Associate Vice President for Research at 亚洲自慰视频 of Utah 亚洲自慰视频. 鈥淭his is an amazing example of fundamental research creating the environment to improve health around the globe.鈥
鈥淏y discovering fundamental aspects of HIV biology, Dr. Sundquist鈥檚 work has led to a lifesaving advancement in improving human health,鈥 says Bob Carter, MD, PhD, CEO for 亚洲自慰视频 of Utah 亚洲自慰视频 and Senior Vice President for 亚洲自慰视频 Sciences. 鈥淲e鈥檙e honored that the global impact of his work has been recognized and incredibly proud that his work continues at U of U 亚洲自慰视频.鈥
Sundquist鈥檚 accomplishment is a testament to the critical role of basic science in forming the foundation of discoveries that save lives. 鈥淲e view ourselves as, first of all, trying to understand the natural world, which I think has great intrinsic value,鈥 Sundquist says. 鈥淏ut we also view ourselves as sort of the feedstock for new ways of approaching medicine.鈥濃
The full TIME100 list and related tributes appear in the April 28, 2025, issue of TIME, available on newsstands on Friday, April 18, and now at