Francoise Barre-Sinoussi and Luc Montagnier discovered human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Virus production was identified in lymphocytes from patients with enlarged lymph nodes in early stages of acquired immunodeficiency, and in blood from patients with late stage disease.
They characterized this retrovirus as the first known human lentivirus based on its morphological, biochemical and immunological properties.
HIV impaired the immune system because of massive virus replication and cell damage to lymphocytes. The discovery was one prerequisite for the current understanding of the biology of the disease and its antiretroviral treatment.
The discovery made rapid cloning of the HIV-1 genome possible. This allowed identification of important details in its replication cycle and how the virus interacted with its host. Furthermore, it led to development of methods to diagnose infected patients and to screen blood products, which has limited the spread of the pandemic.
Image: An illustration of the French researcher's work
Illustrator: Annika Kohl for nobelprize.org
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