Dr. Ajit Varki is a distinguished physician-scientist and internationally recognized authority in glycobiology and evolutionary medicine. He currently serves as Distinguished Professor of Medicine and Cellular and Molecular Medicine at the University of California, San Diego, where he has been a faculty member since 1982. Dr. Varki is the founding co-director of both the Glycobiology Research and Training Center and the UCSD/Salk Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny, establishing UCSD as a global hub for the study of human evolutionary biology. His educational journey began at the Christian Medical College in Vellore, India, followed by specialized training in internal medicine, hematology, and oncology at the University of Nebraska and Washington University School of Medicine, where he developed the foundation for his interdisciplinary approach to biomedical research.
Dr. Varki's groundbreaking research has fundamentally transformed our understanding of the role of glycans, particularly sialic acids, in human biology and disease. His laboratory made the seminal discovery that humans uniquely lack the sialic acid Neu5Gc due to a genetic mutation, which has profound implications for human evolution, disease susceptibility, and immune responses. This work has provided critical insights into the molecular basis of human-specific traits and vulnerabilities, including connections to cancer, infectious diseases, and inflammatory conditions. His research on the human-specific evolution of CD33 and its relationship to Alzheimer's disease has opened new avenues for understanding the genetic basis of cognitive protection in humans, with potential implications for therapeutic development.
Beyond his research contributions, Dr. Varki has been instrumental in building the field of glycobiology through his leadership as Executive Editor of the authoritative textbook Essentials of Glycobiology and his service as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Clinical Investigation. He has received numerous prestigious honors including election to the National Academy of Medicine and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, as well as the Rosalind Kornfeld Award for Lifetime Achievement in Glycobiology. As a dedicated mentor, he has trained generations of physician-scientists and continues to shape the future of biomedical research through his leadership in CARTA, which brings together experts from diverse disciplines to unravel the biological basis of human uniqueness. His current work focuses on integrating evolutionary perspectives with modern biomedical approaches to address fundamental questions about human health and disease.
