All section Close
Nobel Laureate Luc Montagnier, Who Co-Discovered HIV, Dies At 89
Writer: Devyani Madaik
A media enthusiast, Devyani believes in learning on the job and there is nothing off limits when it comes to work. Writing is her passion and she is always ready for a debate as well.
India, 12 Feb 2022 9:03 AM GMT
Editor : Snehadri Sarkar |
While he is a massive sports fanatic, his interest also lies in mainstream news and nitpicking trending and less talked about everyday issues.
Creatives : Devyani Madaik
A media enthusiast, Devyani believes in learning on the job and there is nothing off limits when it comes to work. Writing is her passion and she is always ready for a debate as well.
In the early 1980s, Montagnier, working at the Pasteur Institute with a team that included Barré-Sinoussi, identified the retrovirus that eventually became known as HIV. In 1993, the scientist established the World Foundation for AIDS Research and Prevention.
French virologist Luc Montagnier, who identified the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the infection behind AIDS, passed away at 89. The Nobel laureate had sparked the global search for the AIDS cure. He took his last breath on Tuesday, February 8, at a hospital in a suburb of Paris, LiveMint reported.
Formative Years
Montagnier was born on August 18, 1932, in Chabris, in Loire Valley, France. He scored distinctions until high school and was usually ahead of his classmates in all the activities. Montagnier held curiosity about scientific studies, following which he later set up a chemistry laboratory.
Career
He completed his degrees in Science and Medicine in 1953 from the Universities of Poitiers and Paris.
He was an avid reader of popularised books of chemistry and physics, especially atomic physics. Observing his interests, he decided to research a carrier in human biology, but there was no such course available in Medicine or in Sciences.
He attended afternoon courses in botany, zoology and geology, which were the main disciplines of the degree course in Sciences. Fortunately, a new Botany teacher also held great scientific interest. He learnt about the basics of Biology, the DNA double helix, the structure of viruses, etc. This was the beginning of history.
Montagnier began his career as a research scientist in 1955 and earned a PhD in Virology from the University of Paris. Later, he joined the Pasteur Institute in Paris as a Professor and Head of the Viral Oncology Unit in 1972 and worked till 2000.
Co-Discovered Virus
In the early 1980s, Montagnier, working at the Pasteur Institute with a team that included Barré-Sinoussi, identified the retrovirus that eventually became known as HIV.
In 1993, the scientist established the World Foundation for AIDS Research and Prevention. He later accepted a chair at Queens College, New York City, headed the Center for Molecular and Cellular Biology for three years.
Also Read: Kerala BJP Creates History, Nominates Transwoman To District Committee
Must Reads
We are an independent and public-spirited digital media platform for Indian millennials. We report news and issues that matter as well as give you the opportunity to take action.
