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Luc Montagnier—Discoverer of the AIDS Virus
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became director of the Viral Oncology Unit at the Institut Pasteur, which was headed by Jacques-Lucien Monod (1910-1976). In 1974, Montagnier was named director of research at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique. During this time, he conducted research on oncogenic viruses and interferon chemistry. In 1985, he became a professor in the Department of AIDS and Retrovirus of the Institut Pasteur and since 1990 has served as its director. Montagnier and his colleagues discovered the properties of interferon messenger RNA and facilitated the cloning of the interferon genes, which allowed interferon to be produced in quantity for research. In the May 20, 1983, issue of Science, Montagnier et al published an article entitled “Isolation of a T-Lymphotropic Retrovirus From a Patient at Risk for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS),” in which they identified a retrovirus they called lymphadenopathy-associated virus as the cause of AIDS. At about the same time (April 1984), Robert C. Gallo (1937- ) of the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Md, announced that the cause of AIDS was to be found in the family of human T-cell lymphotropic viruses (HTLVs), in a virus designated by Gallo as HTLV-III. Later, this virus was found to be virtually identical to Montagnier’s lymphadenopathy-associated virus. Montagnier and Gallo’s claims resulted in a lawsuit in December 1985. The 2 researchers finally resolved their differences through the prolonged mediation of Dr Jonas E. Salk (1914-1995), who years earlier had been embroiled in a similar dispute with Albert B. Sabin (1906-1993) over the vaccine for poliomyelitis. After the suit between Montagnier and Gallo was resolved, both were widely honored, and in 1986, the AIDS virus was officially designated as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Both researchers were recognized and honored by the Lasker Foundation and received the 1986 Albert Lasker Medical Research Award. The Foundation cited Montagnier for “discovery of the [AIDS] retrovirus later shown to be responsible for the major new threat to world health,” and Gallo was acknowledged as the originator of much human retrovirus research. In March 1986, Montagnier and his team announced the discovery of HIV-II, another strain of the AIDS virus. Montagnier has received many awards besides the Lasker Award, including a Chevalier de la Légion d’ Honneur in 1984 and the Commandeur de l’Order National du Mérite in 1986 as well as professional honors from Switzerland, Canada, and Japan. He was honored on a stamp issued by Bhutan in 2000.
Luc Montagnier—Discoverer of the AIDS Virus Marc A. Shampo, PhD, and Robert A. Kyle, MD
F
rench virologist Luc Antoine Montagnier and American physician-scientist Robert Charles Gallo (1937- ) are credited with discovering the cause of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Montagnier, the son of a certified public accountant, was born on August 18, 1932, in Chabris in central France. From early childhood, he wanted to be a medical researcher. He received his preparatory education at the Collège de Châtellerault in western France (about 20 miles north of Poitiers) and then studied medicine and science at the universities of Poitiers and Paris. In 1953, he obtained his diplôme d’études supérieures de sciences naturalle at Poitiers, and after further study at Poitiers and Paris, he was awarded his license ès sciences in 1960. Montagnier was an assistant to the faculty of sciences in Paris and taught physiology at the Sorbonne. After receiving his medical degree from the Sorbonne in 1960, he became a researcher at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (Paris), the central agency responsible for the promotion and coordination of research in the various fields of science and the allocation of funds and resources for scientific research. Montagnier worked at the Virus Research Unit of the Medical Research Council at Carshalton in London, England, from 1960 to 1963 and at the Institute of Virology in Glasgow, Scotland, from 1963 to 1964. In 1963, Montagnier and a colleague discovered the first double-stranded RNA virus, induced by replication of a single-stranded RNA. At Glasgow, he and another coworker discovered that cancer cells could be cultured in agar by a technique that later became a standard procedure in laboratories studying cell transformation and oncogenes. Montagnier returned to Paris and worked as laboratory director at the Institut du Radium (later called the Insitut Curie) from 1965 to 1972. In 1972, he was awarded the Prix Rosen de Cancérologie in recognition of his work in the battle against cancer. That same year, he founded and
Mayo Clin Proc. 2002;77:506
506
© 2002 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
For personal use. Mass reproduce only with permission from Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
Stamp Vignette
Mayo Clin Proc, September 2001, Vol 76
Stamp Vignette on Medical Science
became director of the Viral Oncology Unit at the Institut Pasteur, which was headed by Jacques-Lucien Monod (1910-1976). In 1974, Montagnier was named director of research at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique. During this time, he conducted research on oncogenic viruses and interferon chemistry. In 1985, he became a professor in the Department of AIDS and Retrovirus of the Institut Pasteur and since 1990 has served as its director. Montagnier and his colleagues discovered the properties of interferon messenger RNA and facilitated the cloning of the interferon genes, which allowed interferon to be produced in quantity for research. In the May 20, 1983, issue of Science, Montagnier et al published an article entitled “Isolation of a T-Lymphotropic Retrovirus From a Patient at Risk for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS),” in which they identified a retrovirus they called lymphadenopathy-associated virus as the cause of AIDS. At about the same time (April 1984), Robert C. Gallo (1937- ) of the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Md, announced that the cause of AIDS was to be found in the family of human T-cell lymphotropic viruses (HTLVs), in a virus designated by Gallo as HTLV-III. Later, this virus was found to be virtually identical to Montagnier’s lymphadenopathy-associated virus. Montagnier and Gallo’s claims resulted in a lawsuit in December 1985. The 2 researchers finally resolved their differences through the prolonged mediation of Dr Jonas E. Salk (1914-1995), who years earlier had been embroiled in a similar dispute with Albert B. Sabin (1906-1993) over the vaccine for poliomyelitis. After the suit between Montagnier and Gallo was resolved, both were widely honored, and in 1986, the AIDS virus was officially designated as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Both researchers were recognized and honored by the Lasker Foundation and received the 1986 Albert Lasker Medical Research Award. The Foundation cited Montagnier for “discovery of the [AIDS] retrovirus later shown to be responsible for the major new threat to world health,” and Gallo was acknowledged as the originator of much human retrovirus research. In March 1986, Montagnier and his team announced the discovery of HIV-II, another strain of the AIDS virus. Montagnier has received many awards besides the Lasker Award, including a Chevalier de la Légion d’ Honneur in 1984 and the Commandeur de l’Order National du Mérite in 1986 as well as professional honors from Switzerland, Canada, and Japan. He was honored on a stamp issued by Bhutan in 2000.
Luc Montagnier—Discoverer of the AIDS Virus Marc A. Shampo, PhD, and Robert A. Kyle, MD
F
rench virologist Luc Antoine Montagnier and American physician-scientist Robert Charles Gallo (1937- ) are credited with discovering the cause of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Montagnier, the son of a certified public accountant, was born on August 18, 1932, in Chabris in central France. From early childhood, he wanted to be a medical researcher. He received his preparatory education at the Collège de Châtellerault in western France (about 20 miles north of Poitiers) and then studied medicine and science at the universities of Poitiers and Paris. In 1953, he obtained his diplôme d’études supérieures de sciences naturalle at Poitiers, and after further study at Poitiers and Paris, he was awarded his license ès sciences in 1960. Montagnier was an assistant to the faculty of sciences in Paris and taught physiology at the Sorbonne. After receiving his medical degree from the Sorbonne in 1960, he became a researcher at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (Paris), the central agency responsible for the promotion and coordination of research in the various fields of science and the allocation of funds and resources for scientific research. Montagnier worked at the Virus Research Unit of the Medical Research Council at Carshalton in London, England, from 1960 to 1963 and at the Institute of Virology in Glasgow, Scotland, from 1963 to 1964. In 1963, Montagnier and a colleague discovered the first double-stranded RNA virus, induced by replication of a single-stranded RNA. At Glasgow, he and another coworker discovered that cancer cells could be cultured in agar by a technique that later became a standard procedure in laboratories studying cell transformation and oncogenes. Montagnier returned to Paris and worked as laboratory director at the Institut du Radium (later called the Insitut Curie) from 1965 to 1972. In 1972, he was awarded the Prix Rosen de Cancérologie in recognition of his work in the battle against cancer. That same year, he founded and
Mayo Clin Proc. 2002;77:506
506
© 2002 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
For personal use. Mass reproduce only with permission from Mayo Clinic Proceedings.