Dr. Peter Hotez and Dr. Maria Elena Bottazzi Named Two of Fast Company’s 2022 Most Creative People in Business

Fast Company today announced its 14th annual list of the Most Creative People in Business, which recognizes individuals making a cultural impact via bold achievements that have never been accomplished before in their chosen fields, from entertainment to healthcare to food. These influential and diverse engineers, executives, filmmakers, activists, designers, research scientists, and founders, among others, are leading with creativity during one of the most challenging times in history.

“It’s an honor to be recognized not only for our team’s scientific efforts to develop and test low cost-effective vaccines for global health, but also for innovation in sustainable financing that goes beyond the traditional pharma business model,” said Dr. Peter Hotez, co-director of the Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development and professor and dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine.

“We appreciate the recognition of our efforts to begin the long road to “decolonize” the vaccine development ecosystem and make it more equitable. We hope that CORBEVAX becomes one of a pipeline of new vaccines developed against many neglected and emerging infections that adversely affect global public health,” said Dr. Maria Elena Bottazzi, co-director of the Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development and professor and associate dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine.

Drs. Hotez, Bottazzi and their team of scientists at Texas Children’s Hospital’s Center for Vaccine Development are leading one of the most cutting-edge vaccine development centers in the world. For the past two decades it has acquired an international reputation as a non-profit Product Development Partnership (PDP), advancing vaccines for poverty-related neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) and emerging infectious diseases of pandemic importance. One of their most notable achievements is the development of a vaccine technology leading to CORBEVAX, a traditional, recombinant protein-based COVID-19 vaccine.

The technology was created and engineered by Texas Children’s Center for Vaccine Development specifically to combat the worldwide problem of vaccine access and availability. Biological E Limited (BE) developed, produced and tested CORBEVAX in India where over 60 million children have been vaccinated so far. The vaccine has also been approved in Botswana. Drs. Hotez and Bottazzi have been nominated for the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize for their research and vaccine development of COREBEVAX. Its low cost, ease of production and distribution, safety, and acceptance make it well suited for addressing global vaccine inequity.

Fast Company editors and writers research candidates for the list throughout the year, scouting every business sector, including technology, medicine, engineering, marketing, entertainment, design, and social good. The individuals honored have all accomplished something truly innovative within the past 12 months or so. Additionally, no one on this list has ever been profiled in the pages of Fast Company before. Together, they represent the future of business.

"Most Creative People represents Fast Company at its best," says Brendan Vaughan, Fast Company's Editor-in-Chief. "These dozens of human stories showcase how creativity is one of the most underrated ways to transform business."

You can see the complete list here.

Introduced in 2009, the Most Creative People list quickly established itself as one of Fast Company’s most esteemed franchises. Each year, the magazine’s editors present an all-new list of people chosen according to a proprietary methodology.

Fast Company’s Most Creative People in Business issue (September 2022) is available online now here and on newsstands beginning August 16. Join the Most Creative People conversation using #FCMostCreative.