A vision lives on

Even though he avoided limelight throughout his life, last week he was a headline in all Kolkata newspapers—including The Statesman. And, in all international newspapers earlier in the month.

- PARTHA P MAJUMDER

John C. Martin, 1951-2021, was widely known for his scientific contributions and widely respected for his contributions to humanity. The John C. Martin Center for Liver Research and Innovations was inaugurated on December 11 in Sonarpur, West Bengal, as the R&D arm of the Liver Foundation, West Bengal. The establishment of this Centre was made possible by a generous philanthropic grant from the Science Foundation that also bears his name.

Gilead Sciences, a USA-based biotechnology company—of which John Martin was the CEO for 20 years and later the Chairman of its Board of Directors—created a drug that the reputed journal Science has named as its 2024 Breakthrough of the Year.

Since 1988, World AIDS Day is celebrated on December 1 to honor the 32 million people who have died from acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related illnesses. The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) causes AIDS. There is no vaccine to prevent HIV infection. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published its first scientific report describing AIDS on June 5, 1981.