Biography on david ho

Asian-American physician and scientist

This article is about the Asian-American scientist and HIV/AIDS researcher. For other uses, see David Ho (disambiguation).

David Da-i Ho (Chinese: 何大一; pinyin: Hé Dà-yī; born November 3, 1952) is a Taiwanese-AmericanAIDS researcher, physician, and virologist who has made a number of scientific contributions to the understanding and treatment of HIV infection. He was a pioneer of combination anti-retroviral therapy instead of single therapy, which turned HIV from an absolute terminal disease into a chronic disease.

David Ho was born in Taiwan in 1952 and immigrated to the United States in 1965, where he was educated at the California Institute of Technology and Harvard Medical School (through the Harvard–MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology) before getting his clinical training at UCLA School of Medicine and Massachusetts General Hospital.

He is the founding scientific director of the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center and the Clyde and Helen Wu Professor of Medicine at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, both housed at Columbia University Irving Medical Center.

Early life and education

David Ho was born in Taichung, Taiwan, to Paul (何步基; Hé Bùjī), an engineer, and Sonia Ho (née Jiang) (江雙如; Jiāng Shuāngrú). He attended Taichung Municipal Guang-Fu Elementary School until sixth grade before immigrating to the United States with his mother and younger brother to unite with his father, who had already been in the US since 1957.

Ho grew up in Los Angeles and graduated from John Marshall High School. He received his Bachelor of Science in biology with highest honors from the California Institute of Technology (1974). In 1978, Ho earned a Doctor of Me

Science

(b. 1952)

Achievements

Biography current as of induction in 2006

David D. Ho, M.D. is the founding Scientific Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, a world-renowned biomedical research institute. He is also the Irene Diamond Professor at The Rockefeller University.

Dr. Ho received his degrees from California Institute of Technology (1974) and Harvard Medical School (1978).

Subsequently, he did his clinical training in internal medicine and infectious diseases at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center/UCLA School of Medicine (1978-1982) and Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School (1982-1985), respectively. Dr. Ho has been actively engaged in AIDS research for 24 years, and has published over 350 papers on the subject. Among an impressive list of seminal contributions to the field, he is perhaps most recognized for the elucidation of the dynamic nature of HIV replication in infected persons. This basic understanding led Dr. Ho and his coworkers to champion combination antiretroviral therapy, including the use of protease inhibitors, that has resulted in dramatic reductions in AIDS-associated mortality in developed countries since 1996. Dr. Ho continues to pursue therapeutic studies that attempt to eradicate HIV. In addition, his research team is now devoting considerable efforts to develop a vaccine to halt the spread of the AIDS epidemic. Furthermore, he is now heading up a consortium of Chinese and American organizations to help address the crisis of HIV/AIDS in China.

Dr. Ho has received numerous honors and awards for his scientific accomplishments. He is the recipient of seven honorary doctorates (including from Swarthmore, Tufts, Columbia, and University of Natal). He has been chosen as the commencement speaker at Caltech, MIT, and Harvard School of Public Health. Additional accolades include the Ernst Jung Prize in Medicine, Mayor’s Award for Excelle

David D. Ho, M.D. is the founding Scientific Director of the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, as well as the Clyde and Helen Wu Professor of Medicine at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. He has been at the forefront of AIDS research since the beginning of the epidemic. His elegant studies in the mid 1990’s unveiled the dynamic nature of HIV replication in vivo and revolutionized our basic understanding of this horrific disease. This knowledge led Dr. Ho to champion combination antiretroviral therapy that resulted in unprecedented control of HIV in patients since 1996. AIDS mortality in richer nations has declined dramatically, and a massive international effort is now underway to bring such life-saving treatment to millions in the developing world. To date over 10 million patients have benefitted from combination antiretroviral therapy. Dr. Ho has been a major driving force behind this major medical breakthrough in what is arguably the worst plague in human history. For his accomplishments, Dr. Ho has been recognized in multiple ways, including fourteen honorary doctorates and election to the National Academy of Medicine (formerly the Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences). He was named Time Magazine’s Man of the Year in 1996, and was the recipient of a Presidential Medal from Bill Clinton in 2001.

Dr. David D. Ho is a renowned physician and scientist whose groundbreaking work has significantly advanced our understanding of HIV and revolutionized the treatment of the virus. Throughout his distinguished career, Dr. Ho has been at the forefront of research, focusing on the development of antiretroviral therapies and innovative treatment strategies.

Born in Taiwan in 1952, Dr. Ho moved to the United States at a young age and pursued his education in medicine at the California Institute of Technology and Harvard Medical School. After completing his medical training, he embarked on a career dedicated to combating HIV, which was emerging as a global epidemic at the time.

One of Dr. Ho’s most significant contributions to HIV/AIDS research was his pioneering work on combination antiretroviral therapy, also known as HAART (highly active antiretroviral therapy). He demonstrated that using a combination of different antiretroviral drugs could effectively suppress the replication of HIV in patients, leading to a dramatic reduction in viral load and significantly improving outcomes for individuals living with the virus.

Dr. Ho’s innovative approach to HIV treatment has since become the standard of care worldwide, transforming the disease from a death sentence into a manageable chronic condition. His research laid the groundwork for the development of new antiretroviral drugs and treatment regimens, saving millions of lives and reshaping the global response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

In addition to his groundbreaking research, Dr. Ho has been a dedicated advocate for HIV and AIDS awareness, education, and prevention. He has collaborated with international organizations, research institutions, and governments to expand access to life-saving treatments and interventions in resource-limited settings, furthering the fight against the global epidemic.

Throughout his career, Dr. David D. Ho