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Luc Montagnier

From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Luc Antoine Montagnier
Montagnier in 2008
Born(1932-08-18)18 August 1932
Died8 February 2022(2022-02-08) (aged 89)
NationalityFrench
Known forDiscovery of HIV
Awards2008 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
Scientific career
FieldsVirology
InstitutionsPasteur Institute Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Luc Antoine Montagnier (18 August 1932 – 8 February 2022) was a French virologist and joint recipient with Françoise Barré-Sinoussi and Harald zur Hausen of the 2008 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine,[1] for the discovery made by his team, and particularly Françoise Baré-Sinoussi of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). He worked as a full-time professor at Shanghai Jiaotong University.[2]

Controversy

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He has been discredited by his Nobel peers because of the many fake and dangerous theories he tries to spread,[3] such as "DNA teleportation" or Papaya Cure for AIDS or Parkinson disease. In 2009 he published two controversial research studies which, if true, "would be the most significant experiments performed in the past 90 years, demanding re-evaluation of the whole conceptual framework of modern chemistry".[4] Homeopaths claim his research as support for homeopathy, but Montagnier himself says it cannot be extended to homeopathy.[5] Many scientists have greeted it with scorn and harsh criticism.[4][6][7]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Montagnier also supported the conspiracy theory that SARS-CoV-2 was created and escaped from a laboratory.[8][9]

Personal life

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He received the Legion of Honour.

Montagnier died on 8 February 2022 at a hospital in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France at the age of 89.[10]

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References

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  1. news.bbc.co.uk, Nobel prize for viral discoveries
  2. "SJTU Appointed Luc Montagnier University Chair Professor". Archived from the original on 2019-04-10. Retrieved 2012-04-05.
  3. "Les propos sur les vaccins de Luc Montagnier lui valent un tollé". Libération.fr (in French). Archived from the original on 2017-09-16. Retrieved 2018-06-21.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Andy Coghlan, "Scorn over claim of teleported DNA", New Scientist 12 January 2011, issue 2795
  5. Cure Or Con? CBC Marketplace
  6. PZ Myers 2011. Pharyngula "It almost makes me disbelieve that HIV causes AIDS!" Archived 2011-08-05 at the Wayback Machine,
  7. Editorial, "Why we have to teleport disbelief", New Scientist 12 January 2011, issue 2795
  8. Grimes, David Robert. "COVID Has Created a Perfect Storm for Fringe Science". Scientific American. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  9. Dupuy, Beatrice; Klepper, David; Amiri, Farnoush (26 April 2021). "The superspreaders behind top COVID-19 conspiracy theories". AP NEWS.
  10. Service Checknews. "Le professeur Luc Montagnier est mort". Libération (in French). Retrieved 2022-02-10.