2026 Salim S. Abdool Karim: Immunology Researcher – H-Index, Publications & Awards

Discipline name	D-Index	World Ranking	Current World Ranking	National Ranking	Current National Ranking	Publications	Citations
Immunology	96	846	774	3	3	507	38835
Medicine	98	8863	8317	17	14	547	39676

Research.com Recognitions

2026 - Research.com Immunology in South Africa Leader Award
2025 - Research.com Immunology in South Africa Leader Award
2023 - Research.com Medicine in South Africa Leader Award
2022 - Research.com Medicine in South Africa Leader Award
2019 - Fellow of the Royal Society, United Kingdom
2012 - Member of the National Academy of Medicine (NAM)
2009 - Fellow, The World Academy of Sciences
Fellow of the Royal Society of South Africa
Member of the Association of American Physicians
Fellow of the Royal Society of South Africa
Member of the Association of American Physicians
Fellow of the Royal Society of South Africa
Member of the Association of American Physicians
Fellow of the Royal Society of South Africa
Member of the Association of American Physicians

Overview

Salim S. Abdool Karim is affiliated with the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa. Their research spans multiple domains within medicine, focusing primarily on infectious diseases and epidemiology. The major fields of study include Medicine and Immunology and Microbiology, with subfields specifically highlighting Infectious Diseases, Virology, Epidemiology, Immunology, and Modeling and Simulation.

The scientist's work addresses several key topics, such as HIV Research and Treatment, SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research, HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions, COVID-19 epidemiological studies, Reproductive tract infections research, COVID-19 Clinical Research Studies, and HIV/AIDS drug development and treatment.

Salim S. Abdool Karim has published extensively in various academic venues. Frequent publication venues include:

UNC Libraries
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)
The Lancet
New England Journal of Medicine
Nature Communications

Notable recent papers feature:

New SARS-CoV-2 Variants - Clinical, Public Health, and Vaccine Implications, 2021, New England Journal of Medicine
Omicron extensively but incompletely escapes Pfizer BNT162b2 neutralization, 2021, Nature
The Lancet Commission on lessons for the future from the COVID-19 pandemic, 2022, The Lancet
SARS-CoV-2 variants and ending the COVID-19 pandemic, 2021, The Lancet
SARS-CoV-2 Omicron has extensive but incomplete escape of Pfizer BNT162b2 elicited neutralization and requires ACE2 for infection, 2021, bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)

Collaborations have been frequent with co-authors including Quarraisha Abdool Karim, Nigel Garrett, Túlio de Oliveira, Penny L. Moore, and Natasha Samsunder.

Recognition for the scientist has included various fellowships and memberships, such as:

Fellow of the Royal Society, United Kingdom (2019)
Member of the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) (2012)
Fellow, The World Academy of Sciences (2009)
Fellow of the Royal Society of South Africa
Member of the Association of American Physicians

Best Publications

Effectiveness and Safety of Tenofovir Gel, an Antiretroviral Microbicide, for the Prevention of HIV Infection in Women

Quarraisha Abdool Karim;Salim S. Abdool Karim;Salim S. Abdool Karim;Salim S. Abdool Karim;Janet A. Frohlich;Anneke C. Grobler

3066
Citations
Omicron extensively but incompletely escapes Pfizer BNT162b2 neutralization

Unknown

2055
Citations
Effectiveness of COL-1492, a nonoxynol-9 vaginal gel, on HIV-1 transmission in female sex workers: a randomised controlled trial

Lut Van Damme;Gita Ramjee;Michel Alary;Bea Vuylsteke

1018
Citations
Timing of Initiation of Antiretroviral Drugs during Tuberculosis Therapy

Salim S. Abdool Karim;Kogieleum Naidoo;Anneke Grobler;Nesri Padayatchi

925
Citations
Initial B-Cell Responses to Transmitted Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1: Virion-Binding Immunoglobulin M (IgM) and IgG Antibodies Followed by Plasma Anti-gp41 Antibodies with Ineffective Control of Initial Viremia

Georgia D. Tomaras;Nicole L. Yates;Pinghuang Liu;Li Qin

906
Citations
Developmental pathway for potent V1V2-directed HIV-neutralizing antibodies.

Nicole A. Doria-Rose;Chaim A. Schramm;Jason Gorman;Penny L. Moore

809
Citations
Health in South Africa: changes and challenges since 2009

Bongani M. Mayosi;Joy E. Lawn;Ashley. Van Niekerk;Ashley. Van Niekerk;Debbie. Bradshaw

772
Citations
HIV infection and tuberculosis in South Africa: an urgent need to escalate the public health response.

Salim Safurdeen. Abdool Karim;Salim Safurdeen. Abdool Karim;Gavin J. Churchyard;Quarraisha. Abdool Karim;Quarraisha. Abdool Karim;Stephen D. Lawn

723
Citations
New SARS-CoV-2 Variants - Clinical, Public Health, and Vaccine Implications.

Salim S Abdool Karim;Tulio de Oliveira

703
Citations
Integration of antiretroviral therapy with tuberculosis treatment

Salim Safurdeen. Abdool Karim;Kogieleum. Naidoo;Anna Christina. Grobler;Nesri. Padayatchi

644
Citations
The impact of migration on HIV-1 transmission in South Africa: a study of migrant and nonmigrant men and their partners.

Mark N. Lurie;Brian G. Williams;Khangelani Zuma;David Mkaya-Mwamburi

634
Citations
The Neutralization Breadth of HIV-1 Develops Incrementally over Four Years and Is Associated with CD4+ T Cell Decline and High Viral Load during Acute Infection

Elin S. Gray;Maphuti C. Madiga;Tandile. Hermanus;Penny L. Moore

602
Citations
SARS-CoV-2 variants and ending the COVID-19 pandemic.

Arnaud Fontanet;Arnaud Fontanet;Brigitte Autran;Bruno Lina;Marie Paule Kieny

545
Citations
Achieving the health Millennium Development Goals for South Africa: challenges and priorities

Mickey. Chopra;Mickey. Chopra;Joy E. Lawn;Joy E. Lawn;David. Sanders;Peter. Barron

467
Citations
Genital Inflammation and the Risk of HIV Acquisition in Women

Lindi Masson;Lindi Masson;Jo Ann S. Passmore;Jo Ann S. Passmore;Lenine J. Liebenberg;Lise Werner

459
Citations
Who infects whom? HIV-1 concordance and discordance among migrant and non-migrant couples in South Africa.

Mark N. Lurie;Brian G. Williams;Khangelani Zuma;Khangelani Zuma;David Mkaya-Mwamburi

441
Citations
Viral escape from HIV-1 neutralizing antibodies drives increased plasma neutralization breadth through sequential recognition of multiple epitopes and immunotypes

Constantinos Kurt Wibmer;Jinal N Bhiman;Elin S Gray;Nancy Tumba

433
Citations
Vaginal bacteria modify HIV tenofovir microbicide efficacy in African women

Nichole R. Klatt;Ryan. Cheu;Kenzie. Birse;Kenzie. Birse;Alexander S. Zevin

421
Citations
Evolution of an HIV glycan-dependent broadly neutralizing antibody epitope through immune escape

Penny L. Moore;Elin S. Gray;C. Kurt Wibmer;C. Kurt Wibmer;Jinal N. Bhiman;Jinal N. Bhiman

382
Citations
Genetic and Neutralization Properties of Subtype C Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Molecular env Clones from Acute and Early Heterosexually Acquired Infections in Southern Africa

Ming Li;Jesus F. Salazar-Gonzalez;Cynthia A. Derdeyn;Lynn Morris

370
Citations
HIV prevention transformed: the new prevention research agenda

Nancy S. Padian;Nancy S. Padian;Sandra I. McCoy;Salim Safurdeen. Abdool Karim;Salim Safurdeen. Abdool Karim;Nina. Hasen

366
Citations

Frequent Co-Authors

Quarraisha Abdool Karim Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa

Carolyn Williamson University of Cape Town

Lynn Morris University of the Witwatersrand

Penny L. Moore National Health Laboratory Service

Koleka Mlisana National Health Laboratory Service

Thumbi Ndung'u University of KwaZulu-Natal

Vivek Naranbhai Monash University

Elin S. Gray Edith Cowan University

Jinal N. Bhiman University of the Witwatersrand

Barton F. Haynes Duke University

External Links

Personal website of Salim S. Abdool Karim

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