The development of combination antiretroviral therapy transformed HIV infection from an automatic death sentence into a chronic, manageable condition. David Ho directed the research team that elucidated the dynamics of viral replication in vivo, providing the necessary scientific foundation to treat the disease with a more aggressive approach that successfully suppressed the progression of AIDS.
Early Life and Education
Born in Taichung, Taiwan, in 1952, David Ho was the eldest of two sons. His father, Ho Pu-chi, moved the family to the United States in 1965. Following his graduation from John Marshall High School in Los Angeles, Ho attended the California Institute of Technology. He graduated in 1974 with a Bachelor of Science in biology, earning highest honors. He subsequently earned his Doctor of Medicine from Harvard Medical School in 1978 and pursued clinical training at both the UCLA School of Medicine and Massachusetts General Hospital.
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Ho has specialized in virology since the onset of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. During the early 1990s, medical practice relied on single-therapy treatments such as AZT, which failed to prevent the progression to fatal AIDS. In the mid-1990s, Ho led studies into HIV replication dynamics. His team presented evidence at the 1996 International AIDS Conference demonstrating that a combination approach achieved durable control of the virus. As of February 2020, Ho has authored over 500 research papers. More recently, he led a team funded by the Jack Ma Foundation to investigate a potential vaccine for the COVID-19 virus.
Professional Appointments and Recognition
Ho served as the founding scientific director of the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center. He currently holds the Clyde and Helen Wu Professor of Medicine position at Columbia University. His contributions to medicine have been acknowledged globally through numerous awards, including the Ernst Jung Prize for Medicine, the Prince Mahidol Award, and the Presidential Citizens Medal. He was named Time magazine's Man of the Year in 1996. He holds memberships in several prestigious organizations, including the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Academia Sinica, and the Chinese Academy of Engineering.
Fast facts
- Born: 1952, Taichung, Taiwan
- Citizenship: United States
- Education: California Institute of Technology (B.S.), Harvard Medical School (M.D.)
- Spouse: Tera Wong
- Children: Kathryn, Jonathan, Jaclyn, Jerren
- Time Person of the Year: 1996
- Notable Membership: National Academy of Medicine
Questions readers ask
What is David Ho's primary contribution to medicine?
He pioneered the use of combination antiretroviral therapy to treat HIV, turning a fatal diagnosis into a manageable chronic disease.
Where does David Ho currently conduct his work?
He is the Clyde and Helen Wu Professor of Medicine at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.
Achievements
- Presidential Citizens Medal
- Ernst Jung Prize for Medicine — 1991
- Fields: virology
