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FRANÇOISE BARRÉ-SINOUSSI. Early life. Born: 30 July 1947, Paris, France where she lives today. When she was a child visiting central France for the holidays she said she was often content to spend her days outdoors, observing the wonders of the natural living world.
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Early life Born: 30 July 1947, Paris, France where she lives today. When she was a child visiting central France for the holidays she said she was often content to spend her days outdoors, observing the wonders of the natural living world. She says even the smallest of insects could capture her attention for hours. During her school years, her passion for science was reflected in her grades, which were by far better in scientific subjects than in languages and philosophy.
Early life pt.2 • she completed her baccalauréat in 1966. • she was initially undecided between medicine and biomedical sciences as the subject for her university studies. • she finally decided to choose an undergraduate degree at the Faculty of Sciences at the University of Paris, because it would be cheaper and shorter.
Early career • Towards the end of her degree, she questioned the possibility of research as a career option. Just to be sure she wanted to gain laboratory experience. • Her search for a host laboratory proved useless for many months. until a friend of hers from the university suggested contacting a group with whom she had been collaborating and she finally found a laboratory willing to host her as a volunteer.
Early lab career • The lab was led by Jean-Claude. • The lab was studying the relationship between retroviruses and cancers in mice. • Very quickly after her arrival in the she was given the opportunity to work on a PhD project. • Her project analysed the use of a synthetic molecule which inhibited the reverse transcriptase to control leukaemia induced by Friend virus.
Early lab career 2 • This synthetic molecule, named HPA23, proved capable of inhibiting reverse transcriptase activity of Friend virus in culture. Pre-clinical tests showed that the molecule was capable of delaying the progression of the disease in mice. • she was awarded her PhD in 1974 by the Faculty of Sciences at the University of Paris.
Time abroad • she decided to join Bob Bassin in the US for a post-doctoral research fellowship at the NIH in Bethesda in the mid-70s. • her research project was aiming to identify the viral target of the Fv1 gene product implicated in the genetic restriction of murine leukaemia virus replication. • she only remained in the United States one year.
Later lab career • while in the US she discovered that she had been awarded an INSERM position to return to Jean-Claude's laboratory. • it was one of the few groups which continued to study the link between retroviruses and cancers. • her project at the time was to study the natural control of retroviral infections in the host.
A new opportunity • She and Jean-Claude were contacted by Françoise Brun-Vézinet whom was working closely with Willy Rozenbaum, one of the first clinicians in France to observe the alarming new epidemic, which seemed to be affecting certain homosexuals. The epidemic later turned out to be AIDS. • The clinical observations suggested that the disease attacked the immune cells.
The discovery • The virus was isolated and cultured, and as research continued it was named LAV. • Later it was renamed Human Immunodeficiency Virus(HIV) • In 1983 she was made the head of HIV research at the Institute Pastur where she continues to work today. • She was awarded the Nobel prize for her observation and eventual discovery of HIV.
Curently • HIV has made it much easier to spot and prevent cancer. • She said that to quote Although I anticipate continuing my professional endeavors largely unchanged by the Nobel Prize, I hope that this recognition will provide the necessary spark to spur international efforts in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Sources • http://www.nobelprize.org • http://www.britannica.com
