No Nobel for Gallo

Dr. Robert Gallo, director of the Institute for Human Virology at the University of Maryland and a prominent early researcher in HIV, said it was “a disappointment” not to be honored along with Montagnier and Barre-Sinoussi.

I’ll bet he did. The Nobel Committee could have given it to Luc Montaignier and Francoise Barre-Sinoussi alone to share. That would really have rubbed Bob’s nose in it. Instead they gave Montagnier and Barre-Sinoussi half, and the other half to the German researcher Harald zur Hausen for isolating human papilloma virus. So, what were they thinking? We’ll honour the identification of two important viruses in one prize? Three Laureates, no need to say anything else. Montagnier was one of the nicest scientists I’ve ever met. Another was also French, and deserves a Nobel too. He did get a Lasker, but I’ve no idea how the Nobel Committee would finesse that one.

Later ... Archive report: Science subverted in AIDS dispute and 2 AIDS researchers receive Nobel Prize.