By Xoel Cardenas, Sr. Communications Specialist for the Office of the Vice President for Research
Welcome to the U Groundbreakers Podcast, where the people of the University of Utah share their journey from idea to impact—one story at a time.
Dr. Wesley Sundquist has had a stellar 2025, to say the least. He was named one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential People in the World for his lab’s research that led to a highly effective drug that prevents HIV infections: Lenacapavir. The drug was developed at Gilead Sciences and is exceptionally effective at preventing HIV, with a single dose providing protection for six months.
Sundquist has also been awarded the World Laureates Association Prize, a 2025 Innovation Awards recipient, and AAAS Mani L. Bhaumik Breakthrough of the Year Award winner. In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Sundquist and discuss several topics, including:
- What challenges or hurdles did he face when he and his team started HIV research
- The importance of support from the NIH to keep basic research studies going
- Pressure (both self and external) and how to overcome it
- How the U of U supported his growth as a researcher
- What continues to drive him
Click here to listen to the episode! Make sure to subscribe to the U Groundbreakers Podcast as we will share more stories from our incredible U of U research community. Find the podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
