2016 INDUCTEE Mark Wainberg, PhD Global Health, Public Health, Health Promotion & Advocacy, Patient Care, Infectious Disease, Allergy & Immunity
April 21, 1945
(Montreal, Québec)
April 11, 2017
PhD, Columbia University (1972)
2015: Murray Award of the Canadian Society of Microbiology
2014: Cubist-ASM Award, American Society for Microbiology
See All AwardsAwards & Honours:
2015: Murray Award of the Canadian Society of Microbiology
2014: Cubist-ASM Award, American Society for Microbiology
2012: Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal
2012: Killam Prize for Health Sciences
2012: Honorary Doctorate in Science, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval
2011: Honorary Doctorate of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal
2010: Prix du Québec-Wilder-Penfield Award
2009: Medal of Honour, Canadian Medical Association
2009: Lifetime Achievement Award, AIDS Society of Indian
2008: Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur
2008: Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences
2005: Office of the Order of Québec
2003: Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons
2001: Officer of the Order of Canada
2000: Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada
1996: Prix Galien
Involved in the discovery of life-saving antiviral drugs
HIV research pioneer and public health advocate
When the AIDS crisis began, this disease was at once baffling and almost uniformly fatal. Now, decades later, thanks to the work of scientists like Mark Wainberg, AIDS is now treatable, survivable and increasingly controlled in much of the world. Mark Wainberg revolutionized our understanding of HIV/AIDS at medical, epidemiological and political levels. He served as the director of the McGill University AIDS Centre at the Jewish General Hospital until his untimely death in a swimming accident.
Key Facts
Involved in the identification of lamivudine (3TC) as an antiviral drug that is now one of the most widely used drugs in the treatment of HIV
Discovered the problem of HIV drug resistance
As President of the International AIDS Society, in 2000 he moved the International Conference on AIDS from Canada to South Africa resulting in unprecedented international attention on the lack of access to anti-HIV drugs in Africa
Turned his attention to achieving a cure for HIV infection based on the possibility that HIV may not be able to become resistant to certain new compounds that block viral replication
Frequently contributed Op-Ed articles on the subject of HIV/AIDS to Canadian and international newspapers and published over 500 scientific articles
Professional timeline
Impact on lives today
The fight against HIV/AIDS continues throughout the world. Mark Wainberg, working with his national and international colleagues, significantly advanced the day when AIDS may finally be eradicated. His development of successful antiviral drugs, and his tireless advocacy that those drugs reach all populations, has left the world ever closer to managing the AIDS crisis.
2016
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Mark Wainberg inducted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame
Hamilton, Ontario
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The annual Mark Wainberg Lectureship was created at the Canadian Association of HIV Research’s annual conference
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While president of the International AIDS Society, Dr. Wainberg organized and co-chaired the first International Conference on HIV Microbicides in Washington DC
Global Health -
Under Dr. Wainberg’s leadership, the XIIIth International Conference on AIDS took place in Durban, South Africa
Global Health -
Dr. Wainberg established the Journal of the International AIDS Society
Public Health, Health Promotion & AdvocacyHe created the journal, in part, to feature both AIDS research in lower and middle income countries as well as the research authored by scientists in those countries.
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For two years, Dr. Wainberg served as Chairman of the Working Group of AIDS Research and Related Subjects for the National Advisory Committee on AIDS
He later became President of the Canadian Association for HIV Research.
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In collaboration with BioChem Pharma Inc., Dr. Mark Wainberg and his team identified 3TC as an anti-viral drug
Infectious Disease, Allergy & ImmunityThe discovery gave hope to many at a time when few options existed for HIV treatment.
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The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a report describing several cases of rare lung infection in five young, previously health, gay men in LA
This document is now recognized as the first official reporting of the AIDS epidemic.
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Returned from post-doctoral studies in Israel to take up a position at McGill University and as an independent investigator at the Lady David Institute of the Jewish General Hospital in Montreal
1974
He was always an advocate…he raised awareness of HIV related issues here and around the world.
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